What is ovarian reserve and how do I assess it?

Ovarian reserve refers to the quantity and quality of a woman’s remaining eggs at any given time. Ovarian reserve continuously decreases over time and this starts to become clinically significant (i.e. declines from peak fertility) in a woman’s late 20s and early 30s. It is important to understand that assessing ovarian reserve is nuanced. Tests to do this primarily rely on evaluating quantity; there is no validated test of egg quality. The number one determinant of egg quality is age. To gain more understanding about quantity of eggs remaining we use hormone blood testing and ultrasound. Antimullerian hormone (AMH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) can provide valuable information. Finally, medical history (e.g. endometriosis), past performance in reproductive treatment and family history can all shed light on ovarian reserve and reproductive potential.