Difference Between Ovarian Egg Reserve and Quality

1. Egg Extraction and Initial Assessment:

• Eggs, or ova, are microscopic and can only be evaluated after extraction.
• Upon extraction, eggs are initially assessed based on their physical appearance.
• Eggs that appear healthy and viable are selected for further processing, while those that do not meet the criteria are discarded.

2. Fertilization Process:

• Selected eggs are placed in a culture medium along with sperm from the father or donor.
• Eggs that successfully fertilize are used for embryo transfer in fertility treatments.
• Eggs that do not fertilize are not used further and are typically discarded.

3. Uncertainty in Predicting Fertilization:

• There is no definitive method to predict whether an egg will successfully fertilize before the fertilization process itself.
• The only way to determine if an egg will fertilize is by allowing it to undergo the fertilization process.

4. Egg Quantity vs. Quality:

• A woman may produce a low quantity of eggs or have a diminished ovarian egg reserve but still produce eggs of good quality.
• Conversely, a woman with a good ovarian egg reserve may not necessarily produce healthy or high-quality eggs.

5. Assessing Egg Quality with AMH Levels:

• Anti-Mullerian Hormone (AMH) levels are used to assess a woman's ovarian egg reserve and can provide insights into egg quality and fertility potential.
• AMH levels serve as a crucial measure to evaluate a woman's fertility status accurately.

Egg Freezing Ovarian Reserve

• Freezing eggs, also known as oocyte cryopreservation, gives women the option to save their fertility by storing healthy eggs for later use.
• Checking ovarian reserve, typically by measuring AMH levels, is key in figuring out how many high-quality eggs can be frozen successfully.
• This method is especially beneficial for women who want to postpone having children or are undergoing treatments that could impact their fertility.

Conclusion

Egg freezing, or oocyte cryopreservation, allows women to save their fertility by keeping healthy eggs for later. Checking ovarian reserve, usually with AMH levels, is important to figure out how many good-quality eggs can be frozen.

This is especially helpful for women who want to delay having a baby or are going through treatments that can affect their fertility.

Frequently Asked Questions