If HHV-6A might be linked to infertility and early pregnancy loss, you may be thinking:
“Why has no one ever told me about this?”
There are a few simple reasons:
First, HHV-6A is a newer discovery in fertility. For many years, doctors did not know this virus could hide in the uterus. Only recently have studies shown that HHV-6A is found in the uterine lining of women with unexplained infertility, but not in fertile women. Because this research is new, many clinics and providers are still learning about it.
Second, most labs and tests were built to look for other problems first—like hormone issues, blocked tubes, egg quality, or sperm problems. These are important, but they don’t look for viruses inside the endometrium. HHV-6A doesn’t show up in normal blood tests, so it stayed “invisible” for a long time.
Third, medical systems change slowly. New ideas must be tested, published, and repeated before they become standard. That means there is often a lag between scientific discovery and everyday practice. HHV-6A is now on the radar of more fertility specialists, but it may not yet be part of the routine workup where you live.
The good news is: you’re now ahead of the curve. You know something your past test results didn’t show you.
Once you know HHV-6A exists and your doctor may not routinely test for it, the next question is:
“What actually happens after a positive HHV-6A test?”
Read this article next: “What Happens After a Positive HHV-6A Test?”
References
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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.
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Komaroff AL, Pellett PE. Human Herpesviruses 6 and 7. StatPearls; NCBI Bookshelf. 2021.
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Knox K. Human Herpesvirus 6 and Unexplained Infertility. Coppe Laboratories Educational Materials.