How bad is this?

[Imamouseduh]

Hi all. I'd like to get some idea from people in the know about my fertility testing results. My IVF consultant hasn't given me any real answers at this point, and I'm waiting for them to have a cross-discipline meeting to decide how to even proceed. Doesn't inspire confidence, does it?!

LH 7.7
FSH 19.8
AMH 0.9
cyst on one ovary (the Dr also said it was very 'quiet', as in, not much going on in there, I guess)
One blocked/faulty tube.

I'm only just 35, no children; never been pregnant. To add to the mix my husband's sperm count is slightly lower than optimal but the Dr suggested this could be improved through lifestyle changes. He said whatever happens we will need ICSI.

How bad is this? has anyone gone on to have successful IVF with similar results? How long did it take? I'm starting to worry that not only will I never have a baby, I am actually in early menopause. Which in many ways seems even worse and more scary! I'm thinking the Dr will advise egg donation, which I don't know how I feel about.

Any thoughts?

[Chattycat78]

I did fertility testing age 34. My amh was 2. And fsh was 12. I was told I had low ovarian reserve. I'm afraid these results put you in the same camp. Basically the higher the fsh is and the lower the amh is, the lower the ovarian reserve is.

However, all that said, the main point with amh and fsh tests is that the tell you the quantity of eggs you have - not the quality. Quality is far more important to achieving pregnancy, and at 35 you probably have some good eggs left.

Have you been trying to conceive for long?

[Chattycat78]

Sorry typo- my amh was 2.8

[Imamouseduh]

Thanks for replying. Were you trying to conceive when you had those results? Have you had any success? It's hard to say how long we've been TTC, we always just had a no contraception/let's see what happens attitude. I haven't used contraception for about 3 years.

[Chattycat78]

Yes I was. I had a miscarriage after 4 months of trying and then had the tests around that time. TBH after I had those test results I was very worried like you that it wouldn't happen and also about early menopause.

I got the gp to refer me to the fertility clinic as I knew that my fsh wasn't good. They said we needed ivf. We did ivf a few months later and although I responded badly to the drugs, somehow it worked despite only having one embryo. My little boy from that turns 2 next week.

The other side of this is that we started trying again as soon as I stopped breastfeeding when ds was 9 months old- I had the impression it was going

[Chattycat78]

Whoops! ...., to be difficult to conceive naturally. However I got a bfp 4 weeks later and I now have a 7 month old as well as a 2 year old.

Take home point is that it's clearly possible to get pregnant. The issue with ivf is that you might not respond very well to the drugs like I didn't, but clearly it still worked for me.

[farfallarocks]

Similar experience here with fsh 12 and amh of 2 and 6 months later 0.8.
We had a dd already after a few miscarriages. I only produced 2 eggs in IVF and it did not work. However I did get pregnant naturally a few months later so it is possible. You might want to research natural
Or low dose IVF and I am convinced that taking dhea and various other supplements for egg quality helped me. I was also 35 with those numbers and you are
Likely to have better egg quAlity than a 40 year old with similar numbers. Take a look at the book it all starts with the egg. Good luck!

[farfallarocks]

Just seen the point on your dh which makes natural trying harder, my dh was firing on all cylinders so it was just a question of finding the right egg! But a natural IVF cycle might be the way forwards, create and lister specialise in this.

[Imamouseduh]

Glad to hear it worked out for you chatty.

Thanks far I will check that book out. Yes the fact we have issues on both sides sucks. I feel like we deserve an award for being the least fertile couple ever! An award nobody wants.

If I am in perimenopause is it likely that IVF will affect that either way? Did either of your Drs mention it when you went into IVF? For some reason I am struggling more with this than the infertility. Infertility feels like I still have options but menopause seems so final.

[Chattycat78]

How do you mean? You mean like send you into menopause even quicker? In which case it's a no- it won't make your eggs run out any faster. Ivf only stimulates the follicles you already had available that month.

[farfallarocks]

I asked the same question! No it doesn't speed things up as chatty says above.
Both sperm and egg issues can be helped with lifestyle changes, and the IVF programmes that focus on low doses are much easier and cheaper and so you can do more.
Of them. All is not lost but I do know how bleak it all
Feels x

[Imamouseduh]

Thanks ladies, appreciate you taking the time to respond.