Ovarian Reserve – The term refers to the quantity and quality of your eggs, which are called oocytes. The term “low ovarian reserve” means the quantity and quality of the eggs will reduce in women of reproductive age. Low ovarian reserves are one of the leading causes of infertility in many women.
The biological clock of ovarian reserve is not the same in all women, and it varies from woman to woman. Some women may be fertile even in their 40s, while some other women start to lose fertility in their 20s. Generally, women lose ovarian reserve before the end of their menstruation, says American Society for Reproductive Medicine.
Causes Of Diminished or Low Ovarian Reserve
Naturally, ageing is one of the main cause of low egg reserves. Sometimes the exact cause of the condition may not know. However, some of the factors that can cause low ovarian reserves. Which include:
- Smoking
- Radiation therapies
- Chemotherapy
- Genetic abnormalities
- Endometriosis
- Prior ovarian surgery
- Tubal disease
- Pelvic infection
- Mumps
- Autoimmune disorders
Symptoms Of Low Ovarian Reserves
The symptoms of low ovarian reserve aren’t much noticeable. Still, women with this condition may encounter any of the symptoms mentioned below:
- Difficulty in becoming pregnant naturally
- Irregular menstrual periods
- Heavy menstrual flow
- Shorter menstrual cycles
- Miscarriages
These symptoms aren’t present always; it’s better to consult an expert doctor if you’re facing difficulty in conceiving.
Fertility Treatment For Low Ovarian Reserve
If you are diagnosed with the condition of low ovarian reserve, the immediate action you should follow is fertility preservation. Fertility preservation is an advanced and innovative option. Here woman’s eggs are retrieved from her ovaries and freeze them for later use. Freezing the eggs of a woman when they are young is the ideal time because their ovarian reserves are better.
At present, there is no known treatment found to reduce the rate of egg loss.
Low Ovarian Reserve and Natural Pregnancy
Conceiving naturally with the condition of low ovarian reserve is really tough. Low ovarian reserve means that a woman not able to produce good-quality eggs required for ovulation and fertilization without any medical assistance.
Most importantly, time is always important for women with low ovarian reserves trying to conceive naturally. Our fertility experts at Angels Fertily recommend that women over the age of 35, might at higher risk of Diminished Ovarian Reserve. So they should consult a fertility specialist immediately if they don’t conceive even after six months of unprotected intercourse.
DHEA Supplementation For Low Ovarian Reserve
Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) supplements are one of the most common treatments offered for diminished or low ovarian reserve. It is like a mild androgen. Naturally, DHEA is produced in your body, but with age, the levels of DHEA decreases. DHEA supplements are helpful to increase fertility levels of a woman.
IUI (Intrauterine Insemination) Treatment For Low Ovarian Reserve
Some doctors recommend the IUI procedure to patients with low ovarian reserve. IUI is a fertility treatment procedure, where the sperm is directly injected into the uterus of a woman.
Most of the patients with low ovarian reserves also try multiple rounds of IUI procedure because it is cost-effective. Our fertility experts at Angels Fertility Clinic say that IVF is the best fertility treatment for low ovarian reserve. It is because if the ovarian reserve is very low, then IUI procedure doesn’t have a good chance to succeed.
IVF (In Vitro Fertilization) Treatment For Low Ovarian Reserve
IVF with ovarian stimulation is an ideal treatment option for most women who wanted to become pregnant with their eggs after diagnosed with low ovarian reserves.
IVF is a procedure where the fertilized eggs are implanted into your uterus directly. If IVF doesn’t work with your own eggs, it is recommended to consider using donor eggs. These donor eggs(donated eggs by another female) are fertilized with your partner’s sperm, and the resulted embryo is transferred into your uterus, which has a high probability of a successful pregnancy.
Still, a woman can become pregnant with low ovarian reserves. Center for Reproductive Health says that 33% of their patients with a low ovarian reserve became pregnant with their own eggs after getting proper treatment. Early diagnosis and treatment play an important in this condition because of the chance of conceiving improve with early treatment.