Should You Test for HHV-6A Before IUI or IVF?

If you are thinking about doing IUI or IVF again, you might wonder:
“Should I test for HHV-6A first?”

Many women are told all their tests are “normal” but still have failed cycles. Research shows that a hidden virus called HHV-6A can live in the lining of the uterus and does not show up on regular blood tests. In one study, HHV-6A was found in about 43 out of 100 women with unexplained infertility, but in 0 out of 100 fertile women. This means some failed cycles might be linked to a problem no one has looked for yet.

If the virus is sitting in the uterine lining, it may quietly affect how well an embryo can stick and grow. That matters even more if you are paying for IUI or IVF, where every cycle is precious in terms of time, money, and emotion.

Testing for HHV-6A is most helpful if:

  • You have unexplained infertility,

  • You’ve had one or more failed IUIs or IVFs, or

  • You’ve had good embryos that still did not implant.

Because HHV-6A hides in the uterus, the best tests look at endometrial cells—either from a clinic biopsy or from menstrual fluid, which naturally contains cells from the uterine lining. A menstrual-fluid–based test lets you check for HHV-6A without an invasive procedure.

For many couples, spending money on another IUI or IVF cycle without checking for a possible uterus virus feels like a risk. Testing for HHV-6A before repeating treatment can help you and your doctor decide on the next best step, including whether antiviral treatment might improve 

If testing can show whether this virus is part of your story, the next question is often:
“Is HHV-6A a reason my IVF cycles have failed?”

Read this article next to find out: “HHV-6A and Failed IVF Cycles”.

 


References

  1. Marci R, Gentili V, Bortolotti D, et al. Presence of HHV-6A in endometrial epithelial cells from women with primary unexplained infertility. PLOS ONE. 2016.

  2. Knox K, Doody K. Prospective evaluation of human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) in endometrial biopsies of women with repeat implantation failure. ASRM Poster. 2019.

  3. Liu Z, Chen F, Li Y, Pratt P, Knox K. HHV-6 infection is correlated with uterine polyp and endometrial adhesion in infertile women. SRI Abstract. 2020.

  4. Menstrual blood holds the key to better diagnostics. Drug Discovery News. 2022.