High FSH, Low AMH - question for Ghost and all

[BabyJazz]

I am new to the board and was advised to post my question here for more responses.

I have not been trying to get pregnant before now. I went to an RE because I decided I would be a single mom via donor sperm. So I go in not knowing I have any problems, other than the fact that I am 38 years old and have heard that it could be more difficult for someone my age to get pregnant. I was floored when the RE told me in so many words that I would not have a biological child and that donor egg was the way to go. My 3day FSH and clomid challenge was 17.3 and 6.3. My AMH was 0.2. So, I am here trying to see if others started where I am and if there's a chance. I have am appt with a second RE. I foolishly sent the first RE's notes to the second RE ahead of my appt. In hindsight, I was just anxious to hear an RE be more positive...but he wasn't. I want to try some things with my own eggs before jumping to donor egg. What do you think?

[Ghost]

I am new to the board and was advised to post my question here for more responses.

I have not been trying to get pregnant before now. I went to an RE because I decided I would be a single mom via donor sperm. So I go in not knowing I have any problems, other than the fact that I am 38 years old and have heard that it could be more difficult for someone my age to get pregnant. I was floored when the RE told me in so many words that I would not have a biological child and that donor egg was the way to go. My 3day FSH and clomid challenge was 17.3 and 6.3. My AMH was 0.2. So, I am here trying to see if others started where I am and if there's a chance. I have am appt with a second RE. I foolishly sent the first RE's notes to the second RE ahead of my appt. In hindsight, I was just anxious to hear an RE be more positive...but he wasn't. I want to try some things with my own eggs before jumping to donor egg. What do you think?

You have a chance, but it's diminished by those numbers. Just a guess, but I'd say it's maybe 5% per IUI cycle. Your clinic may have better estimates of their success rates.

You are probably looking at something like $3000 for an IUI cycle. Perhaps your clinic has mentioned donor egg IVF cycles, which are about $30,000 per cycle (including lots of add-on costs). These have about a 50% chance of live birth. So you'd pay about 10x as much and get about 10x the chance of success. Of course, it's easy to figure out what the clinic wants you to do.

IUI might be covered on your insurance. Donor egg cycles are almost never covered.

[BabyJazz]

Thanks Ghost. I should have asked the doctor this, but I went I into shock during the donor egg speech. Why are the odds so slim? Isn't the AMH an indication of quantity? And I have read where FSH is also. Is that true? And is there an automatic assumption that quality may be low just because of age? Drugs cannot affect numbers but can they not affect quality? As so many people say, it only takes one good egg. Of course timing is critical. Again, why so slim of a chance??? I welcome anyone to chime in. I do have an appt next week and will ask the doctor all these questions too. I guess I'm passing some time here on the boards to keep my sanity!

[albany07]

http://www.newhopefertility.com/

I heard about this dr. on Fox News. Check out his website and you may want to google him to find out more. He works with low ovarian reserve and patients that do not want to go the donor route.

I wish you the best!

[Ghost]

Thanks Ghost. I should have asked the doctor this, but I went I into shock during the donor egg speech. Why are the odds so slim? Isn't the AMH an indication of quantity? And I have read where FSH is also. Is that true? And is there an automatic assumption that quality may be low just because of age? Drugs cannot affect numbers but can they not affect quality? As so many people say, it only takes one good egg. Of course timing is critical. Again, why so slim of a chance??? I welcome anyone to chime in. I do have an appt next week and will ask the doctor all these questions too. I guess I'm passing some time here on the boards to keep my sanity!

FSH and AMH both measure ovarian reserve, but in a different way. FSH is part of a feedback loop that involves antral and maturing follicles. AMH is more pertinent to primordial follicles developing to the antral stage.

Age is a big factor. Egg quality usually declines starting around age 35, but it varies from one woman to the next.

The slim chance I roughly estimated is based on the low rate of success with IUI in general (roughly 10%), and I knocked that down a bit because of your diminished ovarian reserve.

Again, your doctor should have a better estimate than my very rough guesstimate.

[me2009]

Hi

If it makes you feel any better,

I am 33 y/o with an AMH of 0.25!! and a CCT of like 6.5 and low afc i had 4 on one side and 5 on the other..

I did my first round of ivf in nov 09. im prego with twins.

i was on high does of follistim 300 twice a day and menopur 75 once a day, for 10 days, i was on glucaphage, took baby asprin and taking heparin ...

so there is hope, however, i am 33 , gonna be 34 in march. so age was on my side, but i had really bad diminished ova res.

so yes there is hope, but there are alot of factors to consider.


good luck!!

[BabyJazz]

It's me again. Less than a month after high FSH, low AMH results and the donor egg speech, I am 10 DPO with a beta HCG of 56. Seems I've managed to get myself pregnant, naturally on my very first attempt.

I am still working with an RE as I was going to move forward with COH in February or March. I hadn't started any drugs (other than the initial clomid challenge in late November). I just figured my chances of getting pregnant naturally were just as good (or bad) as my chances of getting pregnant via ART. Someone I had initially asked about donating sperm was willing to give it a shot! On monday, I went in for bloodwork to test my progesterone levels. The RE doubted I was even ovulating. He called today to tell me the good news that I was indeed ovulating. I had to interrupt him and tell him that I thought I was pregnant based on early HPTs! He ordered the beta HGC immediately.

I realize this is very early and I'm still feeling the odds are against me, but if nothing else, this one cycle, this one month has given me tremendous hope.

Wish me luck!

[cymplicity27]

Good luck sis! Hopefully Chaz and Jos will have a cousin(s) soon

[BabyJazz]

Hey Sis! You spying on me on the message boards! I just ran across this as the notification was in my spam folder.

Yes, I would say Chaz was full of Baby Gas...uhhh, I mean Baby Dust!



Can't wait for the first U/S on Monday.