The Importance of Follicles: Determining Ovarian Reserve and Its Significance

Ovarian reserve is a measure of the egg supply in a woman's ovaries. Its assessment is important for women planning a pregnancy as well as those postponing it. Let's explore what follicles are, why their count matters, and how it impacts reproductive health.

What Are Follicles?

Follicles are small structures in the ovaries that contain eggs. They go through several stages of maturation: primordial, preantral, antral, and dominant. It is the antral follicles, up to 9 mm in diameter, that are counted via ultrasound early in the menstrual cycle.

How and Why Are Follicles Counted?

• Ultrasound Examination: Antral follicles are counted in the first few days of the cycle.
• Anti-Müllerian Hormone (AMH) Test: This hormone reflects egg reserve and complements ultrasound data.

For a woman of reproductive age, a normal count is 10-20 follicles across both ovaries.

Who Needs Ovarian Reserve Testing?

• Women experiencing fertility issues.
• Those planning ovulation stimulation or in vitro fertilization (IVF).
• Young women not planning pregnancy but wanting to understand their reproductive potential.

Why Is This Important?

A decrease in ovarian reserve may indicate premature ovarian failure. Early diagnosis allows timely interventions to preserve fertility, such as egg freezing or starting treatment.

Conclusion

Determining ovarian reserve through ultrasound and AMH testing is an important procedure in reproductive medicine.