Women are incredibly unique in their capacity to give birth to a child. At birth, a woman has all the eggs she will ever produce in her antral follicles. These follicles when visible with ultrasound indicate how many primordial follicles there are carrying immature eggs that will develop later and be able to develop into mature eggs that will later ovulate. The woman aged 35 or older will have far less eggs than a younger woman. So, the antral follicle count by age indicates the older a woman is the fewer antral follicles she will possess.
Invitro fertilization (IVF) is the method used to after an antral follicle count is made, but age is the ideal predictor of the quality of a woman’s eggs. The antral follicle count will be considered but the age of the woman is extremely important in predicting the potential for getting pregnant after invitro fertilization.
Pregnancy rates are consistent with the number of mature antral follicles the woman has. Pregnancy rates go up the greater the number of eggs that can be retrieved. A woman with an average number of antral follicles will have a good chance of getting pregnant. While a woman with a small number is less likely to become pregnant. And a woman with a high antral follicle count is usually younger and highly likely to get pregnant with invitro fertilization.
Drugs Used to Stimulate Ovaries
A) FSH-The follicle-stimulating-hormone helps control the menstrual cycle and stimulates the growth of eggs in the ovaries.
B) IVF-Invitro fertilization cycle takes about three weeks. It’s a group of procedures used to help with fertility or prevent genetic problems while assisting with the conception of a child. Mature eggs are collected from ovaries and fertilized by sperm in a lab. Then the fertilized egg (embryo) or eggs (embryos) are transferred to the uterus.
The General Guidelines for antral follicle count by age and Pregnancy Potential
1) Less than four. IVF cancellation is likely, and pregnancy is unlikely.
2) Four to Nine is a low count. High doses of FSH needed and IVF cancellation is probable. Pregnancy is very questionable.
3) Nine to thirteen is a reduced count with a low chance of pregnancy with IVF cancellation a possibility.
4) Fourteen to Twenty-one is an intermediate count. Low yet good chances of ovary stimulation by drugs. Pregnancy chances good, but less than the best group.
5) Twenty-two to Thirty-five is a normal count. Ovaries stimulation by drugs is good and chances for a successful pregnancy is excellent.
6) Over 35 is an extremely high count. Could result be a polycystic ovary type resulting in a high response to low doses of FSH. Has an elevated risk for overstimulation. Particularly good pregnancy rate.
