Low Ovarian (Egg) Reserve

[Lyric716]

Hi Ladies

Just got back from the fertility clinic and was told that I am in the low category for my egg reserve at 7.1 and it should be above 15. I am 37 years old and have had two natural pregnancies before, has anyone else had this AMH test done? I'm a little freaked out as my Doc wants to put me on Gonal f

Thanks

 

[Torontogal]

Is your Dr. talking about your antral follicle count (AFC) or your Anti-Mullerian Hormone (AMH)? Usually they correlate positively because they are both measurements of ovarian reserve - the AFC count is a physical measurement through ultrasound and the AMH is measured by measuring hormones in your blood. I was diagnosed with low ovarian reserve recently, with AFC counts ranging from 7-10 (supposed to be 15+) and AMH levels 12.1 (consistent with a woman in early 40s and I am 36 years old).

However the Dr. said the markers of egg quality were all there (as measured by ovulation day, peak estrogen, FSH which was quite low - a good thing). His take on it was that quality is more important than quantity but it meant that I didn't have too much time as quality does fall sharply with age and those of us with lower reserves don't have quantity to fall back on.

As you can see from my signature I have conceived and it was only the second month of trying so not all is lost (although I am knocking on wood, of course, one never knows, fingers crossed). I don't know how long you have been trying but I hope this helps, hope you get pregnant soon!

 

[Torontogal]

Oh, and BTW the blog of the Dr. I saw is here, it's a good read:
www.fertility.ca

 

[Lyric716]

Hey Torontogal, Whitby girl here LOL

Thanks for the response. Yes, I am talking about AMH and the blood test. Mine is much lower then yours at 7.1 and I'm dealing with Dr. Williams at Rouge Valley in Scarborough. I haven't been trying for long, (very long story) I recently had lost my 19 month old little boy in March and his dad and I broke up so I decided that I was going to do IUI with unknown donor...She ran all the tests needed and she was rather shocked at how low my reserve was. She mentioned that Gonal or Hormone injections would be a good idea as I don't have much time and she wants as many eggs as possible so I have a better chance.

Thanks again and CONGRATS on your BFP, that is super exciting.

 

[Torontogal]

I'm so sorry for your loss
You are so brave doing what you are doing, I wish you all the very best. I think you are on the right track with an aggressive approach to treatment. Hope to hear updates from you and good news (fingers crossed).
Katy

 

[Lyric716]

Thanks Katy,

It has been the toughest and most painful 5 months of my life and I just pray for brighter days. I can't wait to here all the great things from your pregnancy, is this your first little pumpkin or do you have other little ones?

Talk soon
Bobbie-Jo

 

[Torontogal]

No, this will be the first for my husband and I (and last, as we are only planning the one for a variety of financial/logistical reasons). It's all new to me! My low ovarian reserve prompted us to TTC a year earlier than we had originally been planning, we have only been married since May.

I can only imagine the roller-coaster it must be for you, I hope things look up very soon! When it comes to eggs, Dr. Hannam (the Dr. I saw whose link I posted) said quality is really the most important thing when it comes to eggs so even if you don't have many the ones you have are probably really good ones

I have had a friend go through IUI with a donor and I know how it was for her, definitely a very big deal in her life. She was ultimately unsuccessful - not to freak you out though - she had very different issues than either of us, she had no prior pregnancies, was older than we are at the time and she did not have a reserve issue according to AFC (AMH testing was unavailable at the time) so her Dr. went the all natural route when she should have been more aggressive. Good thing your Dr. is taking things seriously and going for the drugs. What is your FSH like BTW?

By the way I tried to add you as a contact but I'm not sure if the system did it or not (this BB is a bit confusing).

 

[Lyric716]

Hey,
I added you as a friend...let me see if I can send you a private message. Hold on

 

[Lyric716]

I got your email! I responded and I hope you got mine. Let me know if you didn't and I will figure out what I did wrong LOL

 

[SabrinaKat]

Hi,

My AMH in January was 4.28 and in May 9.98, I got pregnant naturally in June (and am now 13wks+3). We were about to start IVF, hence the AMH results. Incidentially, my FSH/LH which were unbalanced in Jan, were almost equal in May and my thyroid was underactive in Jan, modifiied early May and rechecked in late May (normal) and I got pregnant the next month. I am 43, but all risk factors come back to early 30s, so I wouldn't get too stressed about AMH, FSH, LH, etc.!

hope it helps

 

[seoj]

I'm sorry it wasn't better news hun... I totally understand how disappointing and frustrating that can be... I was diagnosed with low egg reserve as well. Which was a factor while my hubby and I were TTC. We ended up seeing a fertility specialist... due to his sperm situation (he underwent 2 reversals) and my FSH levels...

I think it would be good to ask lots of questions. Personally, I took the Clomid challenge (to test my bodies response to the clomid- which, wasn't what they would have liked to see)... I also only had maybe 6-9 follicles per cycle, as I should have more like 20-30! Which meant my odds of producing a healthy egg were a lot lower...

BUT- with all this working against us... we were still able to conceive! I went on Clomid and did IUI (inter-uterine insemination). So there is lots of help for sure.

Just know this is not IT... there are things that can help for sure. I just had to stay positive and know, that one way or another, we'd make our baby... finally.

I didn't personally have the AMH test done... I did the clomid challenge, had the dye test to check my tubes, they did an u/s mid cycle to see how my follicles were doing and had blood work done to check my FSH levels (which, I believe is similar to the AMH test?)...

Best of luck to you hun!!!!

 

[Lyric716]

Hey Seoj,

Thanks for the encouragement...I don't know if I should give it a few months of trying naturally or will that will just deplete more of my eggs or if we should try with the drugs right away. I have had two pregnancies that were surprise blessings babies and this is the first time I'm "trying" Lost my 2 year old little boy in March and my family doesn't feel complete and want more children. Congrats on your pregnancy I'm so happy for you