What is Ovarian Reserve Testing?
As a woman becomes less young,
her total quantity of eggs declines
progressively until they are
depleted at menopause. Even
though the ovary ages at a certain
pace, occasionally eggs dwindle
faster than expected. For this
reason screening for ovarian
reserve is an useful tool for
the initial evaluation for infertility,
specially those women that are
30-40 years-young.
The term "ovarian reserve"
refers to a woman's current
supply of oocytes (eggs), and
is associated with reproductive
potential. In general, the greater
the number of remaining eggs,
the better the chance for conception.
Conversely, low ovarian reserve
greatly diminishes a patient's
chances for conception. There
are several methods to assess
the ovarian reserve
| » |
Ultrasound
assessment of the ovaries
during a certain part
of the menstrual cycle
(antral follicle count). |
| » |
Hormonal
evaluation combined with
ovarian stimulation with
clomiphene (clomiphene
challenge test). |
Counseling
after ovarian reserve testing
While the abnormal results may
predict a lower pregnancy rate,
they do not preclude the possibility
of pregnancy and should not
be presented to patients as
absolute. Likewise, ovarian
reserve testing alone may yield
falsely reassuring results,
as advanced maternal age and
ovarian reserve test results
are independent predictors of
infertility. Both should be
used when counseling couples
regarding their chances for
conception*.
* Scott RT, Opsahl
MS, Leonardi MR, Neall GS, Illions
EH, Navot D. Life table
analysis of pregnancy rates
in a general infertility population
relative to ovarian reserve
and patient age. Hum Reprod
1995;10:1706–10
INSTRUCTIONS FOR OVARIAN
RESERVE TESTING AT RMA OF TEXAS
Basic Steps
| 1. |
Call
the office on the first
day of your period or
the morning after (210)
337-8453, the first
day of your period will
be considered cycle day
number 1 even if this
occurs late at night and
only in scant amount. |
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| 2. |
Day
2 or 3 of the menstrual
cycle, you will be
asked to come to the
office to have a blood
sample to measure
several reproductive hormones
as well as a baseline
ultrasound of your
ovaries. |
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| 3. |
Days
5 through 9 of the menstrual
cycle, you will take
Clomid, 50mg tablets,
2 tablets daily
together at the same time
of the day.
During this period of
time, we may ask you to
come to the office for
other testing associated
with your fertility evaluation. |
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| 4. |
Day
10 of the menstrual cycle,
you will come to the
office only for a blood
sample to evaluate
your reproductive hormones.
This is a brief visit
to get your blood sample
drawn and go back to your
routine activities immediately
after that. |
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| 5. |
Day
11, 12 or 13 of the menstrual
cycle, you
will come back for
an ultrasound study
of your ovaries to determine
your response to the medication
and whether a follicle
(egg) is in the process
of development. |
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| 6. |
Please
plan to spend some time
with our nurses during
one of your visits to
discuss your personal
treatment plan. |
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General Information
Clomiphene Challenge test requires
a minimum of 3 visits.
The Clomid Challenge Test (CCT)
determines the health status
of your ovaries. The information
is very valuable to predict
your chances of conception.
There are several conditions
that increase the disappearance
of eggs (Atresia) such as smoking,
autoimmune disease, age, etc
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