When you’re researching your own fertility, you may come across numbers and data you’ve gleaned from the web, or from your own personal results. It can be helpful to empower yourself with information, but with one important warning: pay attention to the units! Some common values such as AMH, estrogen and progesterone can be measured… Read more »
What’s the difference between my ovarian reserve and egg quality?
Your egg quantity is also known as your ovarian reserve. It’s not quite the same thing as egg quality. But when you have a good ovarian reserve, you most likely will have some good quality eggs in there too. You were born with millions of immature eggs. Most of the immature eggs will be housed… Read more »
How does an AMH test help me?
AMH is the best test that we have for understanding your ovarian reserve. There are other tests available (FSH levels, and ultrasound) but they are not as accurate. AMH is the hormone that is made by the cells surrounding each of your resting eggs. This means that the more eggs that you have, the higher… Read more »
I am 28 and I have just been diagnosed with the lowest AMH possible. I’m starting aggressive IVF. Is age on my side with good quality eggs?
AMH predicts quantity, not quality. The best predictor for egg quality is being under 35 years of age. Yes! Age is on your side. Anti Mullerian Hormone is released by cells involved with the growth of antral follicles and correlated to the number of active antral follicles you have. Usually with IVF, we hope to… Read more »
When is it time to use donor eggs?
If you’re over the age of 37, and your AMH is less than 2 pmol/L, your ovarian reserve will likely not support a reasonable attempt at IVF. IVF demands a relatively high number of eggs to be made available to the lab. The ideal number is between twelve and twenty. If numbers are going to… Read more »
“What’s my ovarian reserve and what do all those tests mean – FSH, AFC, AMH?”
Your number of eggs is your ovarian reserve. That’s a measure of quantity, not quality, and of course quality matters too. But when you have a good ovarian reserve, you most likely will have some good quality eggs in there. The basics You were born with millions of immature eggs. Most of the immature eggs are snuggled… Read more »