Unexplained Infertility

[Angelselevenx]

Cutting a very long story short.

Looking for others who are also in the 12-24month TTC bracket.

I have PCO (not PCOS) and about to go into cycle 19 of TTC, had a chemical on cycle 2 and nothing at all since. Currently on letrozole as I have low progesterone so my consultant believes it'll boost my ovulation and in turn my progesterone (which it has)

Cycle 1 - 2.5mg
Cycle 2-5 - 5mg
Cycle 6 - 7.5mg (about to start)

Are there any positive success stories of people who have fallen pregnant naturally between the 12 month and 24 month TTC?

Qualify for IVF in January 2025

Hi we are in a similar boat. This is my 18th month TTC but with nothing so far and my second month on letrozole (5mg).

I have unexplained infertility and my first NHS specialist appointment soon when I’m going to ask about IVF as just want to try that now. Did you have much trouble getting your Jan 2025 IVF option sorted? That’s great to have it there in case no luck in coming months.

I’m finding the struggle hard at the moment. I hope you are ok.

@Anon263119 hey, sorry to hear you're going through similar. It's hard isn't it.

Do you ovulate on your own already? I'm going onto my 7th month of Letrozole now, it's helped to increase my progesterone but not get pregnant 😂

I've been under the fertility clinic since February 2024, I got referred August 2023 and have the appointment in January. They needed us to be TTC 2 years before putting the funding appointment in the diary, as that's one of the things before getting funding approved. Sending hugs x

I had unexplained infertility and fell pregnant on my first cycle of letrozole. I hope it works for you soon!

@BritInNZ that's promising, I do feel like if Letrozole was going to work for me it would've by now ☹️, just starting cycle 20/cycle 7 on Letrozole today

Hi @Angelselevenx yes I do, do you? I have short luteal phases (10 days max) and v light periods so the hope was it would boost progesterone for me too but I’ve not had any tests to check. I read letrozole without an IUI for unexplained fertility doesn’t increase odds much so am not hugely hopeful but it’s nice to feel like I’m doing something.
@BritInNZ that is great to hear thank you, fingers crossed!

@Anon263119 yeah I do too. Mines usually 11 days and also have low progesterone. Without letrozole my progesterone was 19, in the 6 cycles of letrozole I've had levels ranging from 29-43 so it definitely increases progesterone.

I've also heard that IUI with unexplained infertility isn't worth trying as well! I'm just on the countdown to ivf now to be honest

Hi there, just replying to say I’m also in the same boat, on something like cycle 16 now (ttc since April 2023). No positive tests in that time.

I also have PCO (but not PCOS), no other issues identified. We’ve got our first NHS consultant appointment in a couple of weeks, hoping they’ll tell us when we can start IVF… we won’t be at 2 years TTC until Spring so preparing myself that we’ll just have to keep trying until then.

We had some of our tests done privately due to wait times and they suggested letrozole, but going to wait & see what they say at our NHS appointment as it’s so soon…

Nice to know that we’re not alone in this unexplained waiting game/monthly rollercoaster, although I’m sorry you’re all in this situation too

Sorry to jump on the back of this and I hope nobody finds this upsetting. I had unexplained infertility in 2015 and had lots of appointments with the fertility specialists at my hospital. I had been trying to get pregnant for 2 years. My cycles were ridiculously long, sometimes 60 + days. I had lost all hope in conceiving naturally and was not surprised when I was offered Clomid but was told this was not a guarantee.
My fertility nurse had phoned me at the beginning of 2016 and asked when I wanted to start the medication and prior to the the phonecall, I had been feeling unwell but put it down to overindulging over Christmas/new year. It was my husbands birthday mid January and a coworker urged me to take a pregnancy test to rule it out as I would be having a few cocktails to celebrate his birthday. Anyway, the test came back positive and even 8 years on, I can still remember the feeling of complete shock. After so many negative tests, heartache, unanswered questions and uncertainty, here was my first positive test.
My second baby was conceived after 12 months of trying.
Hoping everyone gets their positives soon.

Hey! Came across this thread as sounds very similar to my situation. Been trying for over a year now and about to start ovulation induction and cycle tracking. Just wondering how you’re getting on now?

We are classed as unexplained and our 3yo dd was conceived naturally on cycle 24 - a month after failed IVF.

We have been ttc a sibling since May 2023, one miscarriage in April 24 and nothing since ..I found out a FET failed today.

I hate the unexplained label so much, it makes me worry as there is clearly something wrong

@BeetleBear I actually conceived on cycle 20, using 7.5mg letrozole (for low progesterone now ovulation induction) and ovulation pessaries from 2DPO. I'm
15 weeks now.

Best of luck, hope it works for you 🤞🏼🫶🏼

Hi all, congratulations @Angelselevenx ! I was actually diagnosed with PCOS and early stage endo via a laparoscopy in October so am hoping that is the answer to us being “unexplained”. Wishing you all the very best @Rosieposy89 @BeetleBear

Congratulations @Angelselevenx , wishing you all the best 💕

We didn’t end up trying letrozole privately as the NHS referred us straight for IVF in September. (Although I would have tried it if the NHS had offered it, think it’s definitely worth a go for unexplained and much less invasive than IVF! I read a lot about it and the recommended unexplained infertility protocol in several other countries (US, Canada etc.) recommends 6 months of OI with trigger injection before IVF.

We’ll be starting our first IVF cycle in January, I’ve got a fridge full of meds waiting so wish me luck!

Still struggling with the unexplained label, I’m hoping that the IVF might give us some clues as to where in the process we’re having problems…