fertility specialist

Fertility/Ovarian Reserve Assessment in Laguna Hills, Orange County CA

A woman’s ability to get pregnant depends on a number of factors, including the production of good quality eggs. When there is an issue with egg production, the chances of getting pregnant are significantly reduced. This is why Ovarian Reserve Assessment is an integral part of fertility evaluation. 

What is Ovarian Reserve Assessment? 

In simple terms, ovarian reserve assessment is a test conducted to ascertain the current egg supply of a woman. ‘Ovarian Reserve’ is a term that defines a woman’s remaining egg supply that can produce babies. As you should know, this supply reduces with age, but it still differs from one woman to another. 

There are a few ways to test for ovarian reserve, but the most popular one is follicle stimulating hormone. We will briefly discuss this and a couple of other methods right here. 

Methods of Assessing Ovarian Reserve 

  • Follicle Stimulating Hormone – FSH is the hormone that helps to control the menstrual cycle, which involves egg production. The hormone can be tested on day two or three of the menstrual cycle to determine the ovarian function of a woman and also evaluate the quality of her egg. 
  • Anti-Müllerian Hormone – AMH is a hormone that is produced by individual follicles (normal cyst that contains an egg) in a woman’s ovary. The more eggs/follicles the woman has the higher the anti-müllerian hormone levels that will be measured. Like the FSH test, this test is best performed on day 2 or 3 of a normal menstrual cycle. 
  • Antral Follicle Counts – This test involves the use of vaginal ultrasound to count the number of antral (small) follicles, which indicates the estimated number of immature eggs. The higher the number, the higher the ovarian reserve. 

Speak With a Fertility Specialist 

While ovarian reserve assessment is critical in fertility treatment, it should not be regarded as an absolute infertility indicator. It is best to speak with a fertility specialist, and we are always here for you. Contact us today to schedule an appointment. Banafsheh Kashani, MD will be available to speak with you and discuss your options.