# Ovarian reserve



## KarenM (Jul 30, 2002)

Peter

I have just recently had some tests prior to starting my ICSI treatment (although we are having some further setbacks). Anyway one of the tests I had was inhibin B for my ovarian reserve.

I am 29 (the big 30 in 6 months time ) and was told that for a woman my age that the test should come back with a figure of around 150. Mine came back with 51. I was told that due to the irregularity of my cycles, (anything from 28 - 60) that this should not hamper my treatment and may not actually be an accurate result.

My question is, why would the irregularity of my cycle length affect the result in this test and how could an accurate ovarian reserve result be obtained?

Many thanks

Karen

PS I have to say, this is very generous of you to offer your valuable time to help and support us too as well as your patients. Thanks


----------



## peter (Oct 2, 2002)

Dear Karen,

As you know all females are born with all of the eggs they will have ever have in their lives, this is the ovarian reserve. There have been loads of attempts to try and measure this ovarian reserve and inhibin is one of them. In my opinion this is not a particularly accurate measurement of the reserve because inhibin is involved in so many aspects of the bodies' function that it is difficult to say what its' relationship to ovarian reserve actually is.

In summary I would not worry too much about this particular result. It is more important to see how your ovaries respond to stimulation and the resultant quality of the eggs. There is, as far as I know, no accurate method of determining ovarian reserve at present.

Hope this helps,

Peter



KarenM said:


> Peter
> 
> I have just recently had some tests prior to starting my ICSI treatment (although we are having some further setbacks). Anyway one of the tests I had was inhibin B for my ovarian reserve.
> 
> ...


----------



## KarenM (Jul 30, 2002)

Thanks Peter, that puts my mind at rest, just need to get over the other hurdles now .

Thanks again

Karen


----------

