Researchers have developed a new test called ‘egg timer’ that will foretell the number of eggs present in the woman’s ovary and will help them time out their pregnancy.
The study initiated by Peter Illingworth and his contemporaries from IVF Australia, a fertility center, has developed a simple and cost effective test priced at 65$ that would enable the couple in weighing out all possible options like innate conception, IVF treatment, adoption, or egg donation.
Peter Illingworth who is medical director and assistant professor of IVF Australia informs, “I think this is a big step forward. For a woman who is facing decisions about how active they should get about chasing her fertility in one way or another, its information about what the future may hold for her.”
“For a 30-year-old woman, it gives her an idea of whether she's at risk of having an early menopause or she's got plenty of time to carry on and have a baby,” he furthers.
Study details
The ‘egg timer’ is a test devised to evaluate the concentration of an anti- mullerian hormone (AMH) secreted in the ovary of a woman. A low AMH level indicates a low egg reserve while a higher AMH indicates a normal pregnancy.
5 ml blood is collected at any time of a menstrual cycle to conduct the AMH test and the report is sent to the consulting doctor within seven days of the test.
The laboratory experiments of the new test have found that it is especially beneficial for women who are at an increased risk of not conceiving at an older age.
“The test is particularly helpful for women who've had cancer
treatments or women who've had surgery on their ovaries, as this allows women to assess the effects of that treatment on their future fertility,” Peter Illingworth says.
He adds, “It will identify women who are at risk of having a premature menopause for example and allow women to plan how active they should be about fertility treatment.”
Test to help in understanding infertility
Nearly one to two million eggs are present in the ovary of a woman since birth and these are used up during the menstrual cycle until menopause occurs.
This number becomes half by the time the woman enters her 30’s and it can see a further drop to 2000 after 40 in many women.
Marie Pickins, spokeswoman of ACCESS which is an Australian group that advocates infertility in reproduction issues in women concludes, “This particular test certainly adds to the range of diagnostic tools available to help people understand their infertility.”
The AMH test will commence at all clinics of IVF in Australia from next month.
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