Infertility

Ovarian Reserve Testing – AMH

Females are born with approximately 1 million eggs and this number declines with age through natural attrition and ovulation.

However, the rate at which a woman can ‘lose’ eggs during her reproductive life varies greatly from individual to individual and around 10 percent of women will actually experience an accelerated loss.

We call the number of eggs remaining at a given time, the ‘ovarian reserve.’

The great news is, we can now estimate your ovarian reserve (or number of remaining eggs) with a very simple blood test.

This blood test measures a hormone known as AMH; or Anti-Mullerian hormone, which can give us a good indication of your fertility status and an estimate of your ovarian reserve.

How does it work?

AMH is produced by the granulosa cells in the developing early antral follicles of the ovary.

As the number of eggs decline, the number of small antral follicles also decline along with the AMH.

This means that AMH is a clinically useful measure of ovarian reserve.

We can delay starting a family for all kinds of reasons but we must remember that fertility most certainly declines with age and can also lead to other problems, there’s just no question about it.

An early indication of your fertility status can help you decide whether to start a family sooner or later.

What if my Ovarian Reserve is low?

Once the ovary runs out of eggs, the body can’t produce more and often the last remaining eggs can be of lessor quality.

If you’re in a relationship and have a low ovarian reserve, the best option for having children is to go ahead and try as soon as possible.

If a woman experiences premature menopause, Dr. Lulania can take you through all your viable options including the use of donor eggs.

We believe that information and knowledge is power and this test is one way you can take charge of your fertility future today.

Could I be at risk of low AMH?

Dr. Lulania recommends that women with increased risk of having a low AMH be tested;

A family history of early menopause or reduced AMH
Had surgery to the ovary
Severe endometriosis
Had previous chemotherapy or radiotherapy

For more information please contact Dr. Lulania on (02) 6925 7512