Post by Blighted Ovum Board Admin on Oct 27, 2007 15:08:38 GMT -5
Several of the other posts in this FAQ refer to "Diminished Ovarian Reserve". For those not sure what this means:
We are born with all of the eggs we will produce in a lifetime, so as we age our eggs age. A woman is born with a maximum number of eggs that decline in numbers until the supply is exhausted at menopause. Egg quality is thought to begin to decline significantly when a woman is in her 30s. Studies have determined, based on insemination rates with donor sperm, that there is a direct association between the age of the woman and the ability to become pregnant. This is pretty general in basis, however, as egg quantity and quality in each woman can vary dramatically. Chronological age does not always equal biological age.
A woman in her forties can be determined to still have good quality eggs (for those in that age bracket) and still be fertile. At the same time a woman can be in her twenties and have poor quality eggs and have it determined that she is infertile. Egg quality can vary drastically from woman to woman despite the woman's particular age. Part of normal infertility treatment is testing that is designed to determine if a women is already experiencing biologic aging of their ovaries and their eggs.
"Diminished Ovarian Reserve" is basically diminished fertility. This is used to describe decreased number of eggs and decreased egg quality. A shortening of a woman's menstrual cycles may signal diminished ovarian reserve. However, two women with menstrual cycles that appear identical could still have very different levels of ovarian reserves.
Ovarian reserves are something that can be tested via a specialist via a 3 day study. In testing doctors use the Clomiphene Challenge Test. A woman's level of follicle stimulating hormones (FSH) and estradiol are taken on the 3rd day their cycle. The woman is then instructed to take Clomiphrene from day 5 through day 9 of their cycle. After this the FSH level is measured again. If the FSH results are high, it indicated diminished fertility due to age. In values of above 10 indicate that a difficulty conceiving. FSH of 14-15 indicate it is unlikely success without egg donation and IVF.
The reason that high numbers are a poor indicator for fertility is that the pituitary gland is sending heavy signals to the ovaries in order to get them to function. This indicates the ovaries are not responding well. A normal FSH number can be found, but with high estrogen levels. This indicates that the estrogen level is too high in the early days of the woman's cycle, which is believed to suppress the FSH. Estrogen levels of more than 50 to 60 indicate the possibility of diminished ovarian reserve.
It is important to remember that while testing ovarian reserves may help indicate the whether or not a couple will be successful in conceiving, it does not supply all the answers. These tests cannot identify which couples will or will not get pregnant. They may, however, help couples make informed choices. One positive result is that the test may help guide decisions such as IVF in the face of choosing a biological egg or that of a donor egg. Donor egg IVF is often used when a woman is in her 40s and might otherwise have a lesser chance of becoming pregnant when doing IVF.
We are born with all of the eggs we will produce in a lifetime, so as we age our eggs age. A woman is born with a maximum number of eggs that decline in numbers until the supply is exhausted at menopause. Egg quality is thought to begin to decline significantly when a woman is in her 30s. Studies have determined, based on insemination rates with donor sperm, that there is a direct association between the age of the woman and the ability to become pregnant. This is pretty general in basis, however, as egg quantity and quality in each woman can vary dramatically. Chronological age does not always equal biological age.
A woman in her forties can be determined to still have good quality eggs (for those in that age bracket) and still be fertile. At the same time a woman can be in her twenties and have poor quality eggs and have it determined that she is infertile. Egg quality can vary drastically from woman to woman despite the woman's particular age. Part of normal infertility treatment is testing that is designed to determine if a women is already experiencing biologic aging of their ovaries and their eggs.
"Diminished Ovarian Reserve" is basically diminished fertility. This is used to describe decreased number of eggs and decreased egg quality. A shortening of a woman's menstrual cycles may signal diminished ovarian reserve. However, two women with menstrual cycles that appear identical could still have very different levels of ovarian reserves.
Ovarian reserves are something that can be tested via a specialist via a 3 day study. In testing doctors use the Clomiphene Challenge Test. A woman's level of follicle stimulating hormones (FSH) and estradiol are taken on the 3rd day their cycle. The woman is then instructed to take Clomiphrene from day 5 through day 9 of their cycle. After this the FSH level is measured again. If the FSH results are high, it indicated diminished fertility due to age. In values of above 10 indicate that a difficulty conceiving. FSH of 14-15 indicate it is unlikely success without egg donation and IVF.
The reason that high numbers are a poor indicator for fertility is that the pituitary gland is sending heavy signals to the ovaries in order to get them to function. This indicates the ovaries are not responding well. A normal FSH number can be found, but with high estrogen levels. This indicates that the estrogen level is too high in the early days of the woman's cycle, which is believed to suppress the FSH. Estrogen levels of more than 50 to 60 indicate the possibility of diminished ovarian reserve.
It is important to remember that while testing ovarian reserves may help indicate the whether or not a couple will be successful in conceiving, it does not supply all the answers. These tests cannot identify which couples will or will not get pregnant. They may, however, help couples make informed choices. One positive result is that the test may help guide decisions such as IVF in the face of choosing a biological egg or that of a donor egg. Donor egg IVF is often used when a woman is in her 40s and might otherwise have a lesser chance of becoming pregnant when doing IVF.