Infertility: tales of the unexplained
Precongress Course 9
Special Interest Group Reproductive Endocrinology
Course co-ordinators
Daniela Romualdi (Italy), Peter Humaidan (Denmark)
Course type
Advanced
Course description
Infertility is defined as failure to conceive after 12 months or more of regular unprotected sexual intercourse; however, a diagnosis of unexplained infertility can only be made after the exclusion of the most common causes. For this purpose investigations, including semen analyses, basic endocrinology, assessment of ovulation and normal tubal patency remain the cornerstones. However, a large proportion of couples will have normal basic fertility testing, and multiple other factors seem to play a role for unexplained infertility. One of the most important factors is the age of the woman, impacting the aneuploidy rate, and embryonic aneuploidy is the cause of implantation failure in 50% of cases; moreover, uterine pathology including fibroids, endometrial polyps, congenital anomalies and intrauterine adhesions play a role for failure to conceive. More recently DNA sperm fragmentation (DFI) has received increasing attention as a possible cause of unexplained infertility. Finally, the corpus luteum function and the role of the endometrium has beeen neglected during more recent years. However, couples with unexplained infertility might be reassured that even after 12 months of infertility, 50% will conceive during the following 12 months and another 12% during the subsequent year. Regardless of the overall good prognosis unexplained infertility remains a psychological stress for the couple, and a therapeutic challenge to the reproductive endocrinologist.
Target audience
Reproductive physicians, reproductive nurses, gynecologists, endocrinologists, basic researchers.
Educational needs and expected outcomes
The need for a better knowledge about unexplained infertility, including investigations other than basic work-up, the most frequent physiological reasons for failure to conceive, the use of different interventions, as well as the prognosis are all important issues for daily clinical practice.
Programme
Sunday 23 June 2019
09:00 - 17:00
PCC09: Infertility: Tales of the unexplained
Sunday 23 June 2019
09:00 - 17:00: PCC09: Infertility: Tales of the unexplained:
09:00 - 09:30
Epidemiology of infertility
Siladitya Bhattacharya, United Kingdom
09:45 - 10:15
Diagnostic work-up: Which tools? How far should we go?
10:30 - 11:00
Coffee break
Roy Homburg, United Kingdom
11:00 - 11:30
Definition and prognosis of unexplained infertility
11:45 - 12:15
Do age and egg quality explain?
Frank J. Broekmans, The Netherlands
12:30 - 13:30
Lunch break
13:30 - 14:00
Do the corpus luteum and the endometrium explain?
14:15 - 14:45
Male factor?
Chris Barratt, United Kingdom
15:00 - 15:30
Coffee break
15:30 - 16:00
Treatment: Expectant vs intervention
Frank J. Broekmans, The Netherlands
16:15 - 16:45
Which intervention will really help?
Roy Homburg, United Kingdom