Any theories as to why Robin in HIMYM can't have kids?

[mammal_mama]

The show gives absolutely no information about Robin's medical disorder. All we know is that she thought she was pregnant by Barney, had a test, and was informed by her doctor that she will NEVER be able to have children.

This seems like such a rare disorder, because with most issues that lower fertility, there is still a slim window of opportunity. I'm thinking that for a doctor to be able to tell her, so definitively, that it can never happen, she must have been born without any eggs.

Even if she were going through early menopause, doctors always tell women in menopause to consider that they could become pregnant up until the point at which they haven't had a period for a year. And Robin's period was late but not that late.

Can anyone else think of any medical condition, besides not having eggs or being completely through menopause, that can render a woman totally incapable of having a baby? I've even heard of an occasional pregnancy surviving outside the uterus, so it seems that not even that is 100% necessary.

[Mosaic]

Well, it's TV, so I doubt they have a real reason in mind. But maybe something anatomical, like no/closed fallopian tubes or hypoplastic uterus? Maybe a genetic thing so that the chromosomes won't match up correctly?

[AdinaL]

Moving this on over to the TV forum. :)

[mammal_mama]

Maybe. It seems weird, though, that the doctor'd be able to detect stuff about the tubes or uterus from a simple pregnancy blood test.

I wouldn't think tube issues could totally rule out the possibility of having kids, because women can and do now have babies using IVF. I'll have to look up hypoplastic uterus.

[NiteNicole]

Originally Posted by Mosaic 

Well, it's TV, so I doubt they have a real reason in mind. But maybe something anatomical, like no/closed fallopian tubes or hypoplastic uterus? Maybe a genetic thing so that the chromosomes won't match up correctly?

I agree.  I doubt they even have anything particular in mind, it's just a plot point for the show.

[MeepyCat]

I think it has to be Plot Dependent Infertility Disorder. Lily had a bout of it last season, so I think they just had it lying around the writer's room and didn't want it going to waste.

[HappyHappyMommy]

Originally Posted by MeepyCat 

I think it has to be Plot Dependent Infertility Disorder.

That's a great name for it! It's one of the most frustrating medical conditions on television shows!

[Storm Bride]

Originally Posted by mammal_mama 

The show gives absolutely no information about Robin's medical disorder. All we know is that she thought she was pregnant by Barney, had a test, and was informed by her doctor that she will NEVER be able to have children.

This seems like such a rare disorder, because with most issues that lower fertility, there is still a slim window of opportunity. I'm thinking that for a doctor to be able to tell her, so definitively, that it can never happen, she must have been born without any eggs.

I know a woman who was told, definitively, that she couldn't have children. She has four. I suspect this is what MeepyCat called it, but I also think doctors can be very definitive, and very wrong, on this topic.

[mylilmonkeys]

My former step-mother was told she couldn't have babies because her uterus was tilted.  Low and behold, when she and my dad had been married for 6 or 7 years, and I was pregnant with my third baby I got a phone call informing me that she was pregnant!  Fast-forward two more years, and the baby wasn't my dad's after all.  But anyway...yeah, doctors can be conclusive, and wrong.