Infertility affects about one in eight couples trying to conceive. Treatment options range from medications that stimulate ovulation to in vitro fertilization (IVF), where eggs and sperm are combined in a lab. Success rates vary widely depending on age, underlying cause, and the approach used.
What's actually going on in research
Current trials are testing ways to improve IVF outcomes, including new medications to prepare the uterine lining and techniques to select the healthiest embryos. Researchers are also studying treatments for specific causes like endometriosis and polycystic ovary syndrome, along with approaches to preserve fertility during cancer treatment and extend reproductive years.
Embryo selection methods
New imaging and genetic testing techniques aim to identify embryos most likely to result in pregnancy. Trials are comparing these methods to standard selection based on appearance alone.
Male infertility treatments
Studies are testing medications to improve sperm count and quality in men with low testosterone or unexplained infertility. This area has historically received less research attention than female infertility.
Fertility preservation
Trials are testing drugs that protect eggs during chemotherapy and methods to mature eggs outside the body before freezing. These approaches could help more people preserve fertility before cancer treatment.
What to know before you search
Eligibility typically depends on age, duration of infertility, prior treatments attempted, hormone levels, and the specific cause of infertility if known.
What types of trials are currently open
- IVF optimization trials — Testing medications, hormone protocols, and lab techniques to improve the chances of pregnancy through IVF.
- Ovulation induction trials — Testing medications like letrozole and clomiphene to help women ovulate regularly, often as a first step before IVF.
- Endometriosis trials — Testing treatments for endometriosis-related infertility, including surgical approaches and medications to reduce inflammation.
- Male factor trials — Testing medications and supplements to improve sperm production, motility, and DNA integrity in men with fertility issues.
- Fertility preservation trials — Testing methods to freeze eggs or ovarian tissue, or protect fertility during cancer treatment or other medical procedures.
Recently added Infertility trials
Ultra-Long GnRH-a Pretreatment for FET Outcomes in Patients With Deep Infiltrating Endometriosis
Deep infiltrating endometriosis is a severe form of endometriosis that may reduce fertility and negatively affect pregnancy outcomes after assisted reproductive treatment. Gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist pretreatment may suppress endometriotic lesions, reduce inflammation, and improve endometrial receptivity, but its benefit before frozen-thawed embryo transfer remains uncertain. This randomized controlled study will evaluate whether ultra-long GnRH-a pretreatment before hormone replacement therapy improves clinical pregnancy outcomes in patients with deep infiltrating endometriosis undergoing their first frozen-thawed embryo transfer cycle. Eligible participants will be randomly assigned to either the GnRH-a pretreatment group or the control group. Participants in the GnRH-a group will receive two injections of long-acting GnRH-a before hormone replacement therapy for endometrial preparation, while participants in the control group will receive routine hormone replacement therapy alone. The primary outcome is clinical pregnancy rate, defined as the presence of a gestational sac on transvaginal ultrasound 30 ± 3 days after embryo transfer. Secondary outcomes include implantation rate, ectopic pregnancy rate, early spontaneous abortion rate, ongoing pregnancy rate at 12 weeks of gestation, and delivery rate. Safety will be evaluated by recording adverse events after GnRH-a injection. The planned enrollment is 120 participants.
Share medical records and genetic samples to study inherited infertility
Idiopathic non-obstructive azoospermia and cryptozoospermia are severe forms of male infertility in which sperm production is absent or extremely low and the cause is often unknown. This retrospective observational study examined whether mitochondrial DNA variants, particularly the MT-ND1 m.3700G\>A variant, are associated with impaired sperm production in Chinese men. Existing clinical records and available biospecimens from affected men, eligible family members, and fertile controls were analyzed to assess familial inheritance patterns, the frequency of the variant, and its association with infertility phenotypes. No study-related treatment or intervention was provided to human participants.
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