# Unexplained infertility .. so moving on to donor sperm ..



## Fingerscrossed78 (Jan 4, 2013)

Hi Guys,
I'm after some advice ...Me & my husband were diagnosed with 'unexplained infertility' in 2006. We have been trying for a baby for almost eight years now. We had a number of cycles of IUI all of which were unsuccessful, we were then referred for IVF. In August 2009 we had our first cycle of IVF, following ovarian preparation with Buserlin, Menopur & HCG ten eggs were recovered, eight of these eggs fertilised with six cleaved normally. Two embryos were transferred, unfortunately this was unsuccessful. However of the four remaining embryos three were suitable for freeze storage. We decided to go for frozen embryo transfer in November 2009. All three embryos were thawed, and two were transferred. This was also unsuccessful. We then had a 2nd cycle of IVF ten eggs were recovered, of these nine were fertilised and seven embryos developed to a stage considered suitable for culture onto day six. So we therefore had one blastocyst transferred, this was also unsuccessful, the remaining two blastocysts did not meet the criteria to be frozen.  

After eight years of unexplained infertility we now wish to explore other avenues, there is obviously something wrong that the doctors have not been able to detect. We do not feel that another round of IVF would necessary work for us. I did want to possibly explore immunity testing, however my husband thinks this is throwing good money after bad... 

We have therefore now discussed perhaps going for IUI using Donor sperm, although DH sperm count is fine, we may be incompatible. We feel quite positive and think this could be the way forward for us. 

Any advice would be gratefully received.


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## Mistletoe (Holly) (Jan 1, 2007)

I don't think there sounds like there is anything wrong with your eggs, sperm, fertilisation rates or embryo quality.
I think the avenues you should look at are immunology, implantation failure, and genes.

You both need a karyotype to see that your genes are normal and there are no translocations etc.

You could also have embryo or egg biopsies - CGH testing to look at the genes in the eggs or if done later the embryo to see if you produce normal embryos and only put normal ones back.

Implantation failure - have you had a hysteroscopy lately to check for polyps and adhesions? I have heard some clinics do this procedure a short while before transfer and some do a lining scratch to increase the right chemical messenging in the uterus for implantation. There is experimental work looking at a drug called GCSF used to wash the womb - this is a drug used to increase white cells in the blood after chemotherapy - but it apparently has been found to be a signal messenger involved with embryo implantation.

Also immunology and clotting disorders - have these ever been tested for? Have you had treatment taking aspirin, clexane and or steroids. (these are obviously not without risk) Thyroid function is also very important to ensure it is tip top with a low TSH level. And disorders of folate metabolism - these sometimes have a role.

Plus hidden infection with chlamydia can stop IVF working - there is a test that involves testing menstrual blood for chlamydia as normal swabs do not show it always. Once treated people seem to have a better chance.


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## dharmagrrl (Aug 25, 2010)

Hi Fingerscrossed,

I don't know if this is of any help but I was in a similar position to you a few years ago (unexplained infertility problems, although as time moved on and we got older, sperm and egg quality were later questioned) and we decided to try donor sperm IUI before moving onto donor sperm and donor egg treatment just so that we knew we had tried 'everything' before we made the next step. 

We tried several donor sperm IUI at Stork Klinik in Copenhagen (with donor sperm from Cryos International) and although it didn't work we have no regrets - the clinic is excellent, compassionate and reasonably priced and the treatment put our minds at rest that we had tried 'everything' before we moved onto donor egg and sperm treatment. Our treatment experience was far better than any of the horrors we had experienced in UK clinics and we were able to move on.

Good Luck


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## Fingerscrossed78 (Jan 4, 2013)

Thank you both for your comments. Holly - This is something that I have wanted to potentially look into but my DH is very against this, with not enough evidence and quite expensive, we feel that our money should be spent on actual treatments, so we will not be going down that avenue.  

dharmagrrl it sounds as though you had the same thinking as we are having. Eight years of unexplained and all the treatments we have had, we do not feel that we have just been 'unlucky' as the consultants are telling us. There is either something wrong with DH me or both. The least evasive to start with we believe would be sperm donation, we can try this and if this is unsuccessful after a couple of attempts we will them look at egg donor at that point. So we are hoping for donor sperm IUI sometime shortly. 


xx


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## dharmagrrl (Aug 25, 2010)

Wishing you & your DH all the best. It's a tough 'journey'.  Don't give up and be gentle with yourselves and each other


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## Maurie (Jan 19, 2013)

Fingerscrossed, wishing you the best of luck!

Since you've been trying for a baby for 8 years now, I'm inclined to ask, how old are you? Could that be an issue at this point?

The other thing that comes to mind is that your numbers are actually not unusual. If I understand correctly, you've had two fresh cycles that didn't succeed, and one frozen cycle that didn't succeed. Fresh IVF cycles only work about 25% of the time, on average. (The numbers vary depending on the woman's age, of course--the chances are much higher for women in their 20s and much lower for women at or past 40). And frozen cycles only work about 35-40% of the time, on average. So I don't know that you can conclude yet that (as you put it) something is "obviously wrong," as your results are entirely consistent with average. That being said, it couldn't hurt to investigate further so as not to waste any time in case there actually is something unusual going on here. All I'm saying is it doesn't sound unusual based on what you've said.


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## Fingerscrossed78 (Jan 4, 2013)

Hi Maurie, 

Thank you for your message, I am 34 and DH is 34. So we have been TTC since we were both 26, so 8 years. I have never had so much as a faint line on any pregnancy test .. We are both fit healthy people, who have also taken care of themselves, DH is a smoker but I gave up 8 years ago.... But we both know that being unexplained just means they cannot find a reason why we cannot conceive. 

Yes we have had 2 full fresh cycles, and one frozen transfer, and a number of IUI procedures, We used the clear blue fertility monitor for 2 years also. 

Something clearly is not right with one or both of us ? 

x x x


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