What does "unexplained infertility" mean?

Unexplained infertility is the diagnosis given when you haven't conceived after a year or more of trying, but standard investigations haven't found a clear cause. It's common, and it's thought to affect around a quarter of couples who go through fertility investigations.

Standard NHS investigations usually cover:

• Ovulation, usually checked with a progesterone blood test in the second half of your cycle
• Whether the fallopian tubes are open
• A semen analysis

Those are the right places to start. But they don't look at everything, and a "normal" result isn't always the whole picture. That doesn't mean everyone needs more tests. It means it's worth asking which gaps might matter in your situation.

How we can help

We start by looking at everything you've already had done, so you don't repeat tests unnecessarily. From there we'll suggest the investigations most likely to be useful for you, explain what the results can and can't tell you, and help you decide what to do next, whether that's treatment with us, a question to take back to your clinic or simply more time.