Low AMH - IVF

[user1464093566]

Hi there, totally new to mumsnet & looking for some advice/ shared experience. I'm 29 and have been TTC for 7 months. Decided to pay privately for a fertility check for myself and my husband. All great on his side but have been told I don't have as many follicles as I should for my age - 3 on the right and 7 on the left. I also have low AMH 9 something and FSH was 11 something. Due to age the doctor said she wasn't concerned with quality. She has recommended we start IVF treatment and not to leave it long before starting. I'm quiet shocked and finding it hard to take in. Looking for any advice or any similar experiences. Thank you :-) xx

[Viewofhedges]

9 is fine. Mine was 1!

Don't worry, and don't over think it. EVERYONE is different. The experiences of other people on here won't make any difference to whether or not your IVF works. You just have to decide if you want to go for it or not.

Given your age however take it slow, look after yourself, talk to your DH, decide what's best for you as a couple. Don't rush decisions. We crashed into all of this at the ages of 38 and 43 and to be honest it was too much to cope with emotionally and we decided not to try. IVF is a big thing, and you have to be ready for it.

In the mean time, concentrate on having a good life together and having lots of things OTHER than TTC to concentrate on. Something to look forward to so that you're not always counting weeks for the same thing.

Best of luck.

[user1464093566]

The doctor told me 9 was low and I shouldn't leave it too long to start treatment if I wanted to do IVF. I want to try anything and give myself the best chance but also still trying to get my head around the fact that it might not work.

[HappyNevertheless]

An AMH of 9 is low for someone your age. It would still be considered low if you were 40yo.
The reason why the consultant said to look at IVF shortly is because your AMH will carry on going going down with time

HOWEVER I've also seen AMH carrying quite a lot from one blood test to the next (even though it's supposed to be stable as it measures ovarian reserve) so I would recommend to start with having it checked again.

[HappyNevertheless]

Btw women do get pg with an AMH=9!

[user1464093566]

Thank you
My follicle count was also low (10) so I am likely to move ahead and start the IVF process. I am very nervous and keep randomly bursting into tears today! I know there are so many women going through much worse so I should be thankful but it's hard. Luckily my OH doesn't have any problems, he's got great sperm! Just me whose letting the side down! Thanks so much for replying to my message. It's my first time on here so wasn't sure I'd even get a response

[1MamaBearseeksBabyBear]

Hi, I think 9 is good. Mines was about 2. We saved hard for ICSI as couldn't get NHS. Mines was cancelled a week in as Prostap injection blocked my hormones. I was thinking of asking Dr to be put on Clomid. You should research DHEA. Its a hormone which you can buy online, the hospital recommend it to me. Boosts egg quality, aids conception etc x

[HappyNevertheless]

DHEA can help but I would recommend you get medical advice rather than just buying it over the Internet. It's not suitable for everyone.

And please don't think that somehow you have 'failed' because you need an IVF!

[1MamaBearseeksBabyBear]

Well our private hospital told us to buy it over internet. I'm simply saying perhaps it might be better to try alternatives before trying off and if like us having to spend over £6000. Anything is worth a try.

[1MamaBearseeksBabyBear]

**try alternatives before trying ivf

[HappyNevertheless]

What I mean is that a HCP told you to buy it. You didn't decide on your own to do so.

DHEA is a great product but it also has some contra indications and can cause problems (eg if used for too long and/or at doses that are very high)

[1MamaBearseeksBabyBear]

Yeah that's why I said research it. I also meant that there are loads of things to try be it trying to conceive vitamins etc etc. I'm just saying that ivf is expensive and I wish I had known about it before as I would tried dhea. No, its not for everyone so definitely research.

[SesameSparkle]

Hi op, your amh does look low for your age, but absolutely not so low it would stop you getting pregnant. But if everything else looks ok, it's really a big waste of time and money going for ivf when you've still got every chance of falling pregnant naturally. To put this into context, you have about 30% chance of getting pregnant through ivf. But at your age you currently have about 20% chance of getting pregnant for every month you try naturally. The only exception to this is if there's some other reason to stop you get pregnant, e.g. your tubes are blocked, there are sperm issues, or you're not ovulating. Even then, it's probably still not worth getting any more investigations until you've been trying for 12 months. If you do eventually need ivf, it is better to do sooner than later, but based on your current ovarian reserve, waiting another year or so shouldn't really make such a huge difference.

[user1464093566]

Thanks all! Just confused as to why the doctor at the clinic would then say to me I should go for IVF. So far I've been trying for 7 months but not likely to start IVF for another 2 cycles so there's still time for a miracle! I've not had my tubes checked so not sure if there are any issues there. OH's got no issues at all. Going to ask the doctor about DHEA but I have read you shouldn't be on it for long so if I'm going for IVF will probably do just for that.

[ellesbellesxxx]

I am surprised your doc has advised you to go for IVF so soon...
I am 32 and we have been trying for 2 years. AMH level of 6.3. Iam having a lap and dye next week (5 month waiting list) but if everything is ok there we still have to wait until we have been ttc for 3 years as Although my AMH level is clearly an issue, it's still counted as "unexplained" ... Our consultant said I could still get pregnant naturally, just the odds are lower. We will get IVF next year if need be.

If you were going to be paying for IVF, I would be very careful that you aren't being rushed into it.

[user1464093566]

She said I could wait and try for longer but my level will only decline so if I wanted to go for IVF I shouldn't wait for too long - she said around 3 months. It's all so confusing. You'd think a doctor would recommend you the best course of action!!

[user1464093566]

She said I could wait and try for longer but my level will only decline so if I wanted to go for IVF I shouldn't wait for too long - she said around 3 months. It's all so confusing. You'd think a doctor would recommend you the best course of action!!

[ellesbellesxxx]

So will you get ivf on Nhs? They really should check out tubes etc first... Worth checking that all investigations are complete?

[user1464093566]

No I will have to pay for it myself. She said she can check tubes but even if they are clear it won't change the reserve level which is why she is recommending IVF.

[ellesbellesxxx]

Hmm... As someone who has been ttc for two years, I totally get how you feel. I was devastated when I found out about my ovarian reserve. I also know that I even thought about paying for a round of IVF as waiting another year (well at the time year and a half) seemed like forever... And I am older with a lower AMH! However my consultant was insistent that we had all tests completed to make sure there is nothing else in the way and that as we can get three rounds of IVF If we wait until next year, we are just hanging in there and keeping fingers X in meantime.

There are things you can do in meantime to improve egg quality... Protein rich diet, q10 supplements to improve cell rejuvenation.

Whatever you decide I wish you welI

[user1464093566]

That's the thing - I could wait and try for longer but there's no guarantee and my egg reserve is only going down! I wouldn't get nhs from what I've been reading and the waiting list is long so that's not really going to be an option for me. I'm thinking IVF might be the best option while my egg levels are at the level they are - the higher the better right?! Might get my tubes tested just incase. I guess you have to trust what the doctors say, I keep thinking she wouldn't have gone to IVF if she didn't think it was the best option....

[farfallarocks]

Poor you I do know how devastating being told you have a low egg reserve is. Firstly you are right that the quality will in all likelihood be high given your age. I got pregnant naturally with an amh of less than 1, we had no other issues other than my egg reserve and I also suffered from recurrent miscarriage. I can highly recommend a book Called it all starts with the egg which has evidence based recommendations and evidence of things like dirt and dhea. It worked for me and is excellent preparation for ivf if that is the route you go down. Best of luck

[farfallarocks]

Sorry diet!

[user1464093566]

Thank you! I've been reading that book and already started on some of the supplements, just need to get some DHEA. Trying to find the best source of it before I start. Wow that's great you got pregnant naturally with a low AMH. There's hope for me yet!! I'm going to plan to start IVF and try in the meantime. Will have 2 cycles before it starts so you never know!! I was devastated to hear the news though. Only just found out so every so often I get a big lump in my throat and the urge to sob!! Am also thinking of getting my tubes tested before just so I know if there's any hope of a natural conception.