If you are in search of medical care and advice for all matters surrounding pregnancy, childbirth and female well-being, you’ve come to the right place. Some of the many care services Dr Joseph provides as a high-risk obstetrician include:
Pre-pregnancy planning Early pregnancy care and antenatal care High-risk obstetric care Nutrition and diet planning VBAC (Vaginal Birth After Caesarean Section C-Section) NIPS (Non-Invasive Prenatal Screening – such as Harmony, Percept Verify or Panorama for Down’s Syndrome)Twin pregnancy and much more
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 a 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.
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.
Once the ovary runs out of eggs, the body can’t produce more and often the last remaining eggs can be of lesser 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. Sgroi 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.
Dr. Sgroi recommends that women with increased risk of having a low AMH be tested;
For more information please contact Dr Joseph Sgroi on 03 9416 1586
