Female Fertility Potential

Female infertility encompasses a vast array of disorders. Of these, the most important for a successful outcome relate to the function of the ovaries.

 

Ovaries not only produce eggs; they also secrete the female reproductive hormones estrogen and progesterone. These hormones are produced by granulosa cells which line the inside of the ovarian follicles in which the eggs mature.

 

The function of granulosa cells and the production of the female hormones are dependent on the biological health of the eggs inside the follicles. Normal egg quality equates to normal levels of estrogen and progesterone.

 

Egg quality is the most important factor in determining the female fertility potential.

 

At birth, a newborn girl has approximately two million eggs within her ovaries. By the time she starts ovulating, she has about 400,000 eggs remaining. From that point on, the ovaries lose approximately 1,000 eggs a month. When there is only approximately 100,000 to 150,000 eggs remaining around the age of 40, the biologically “perfect” eggs have already been lost. This is why conceptions stop years before menopause.

 

A commonly (mis)used diagnosis for female infertility is ovarian dysfunction, meaning inadequate production of estrogen and/or progesterone. This condition always refers to the quality of the remaining eggs within the ovaries. In other words, a woman really cannot have perfect egg quality and, at the same time, "inadequate" hormonal production.

 

Treatments of female infertility due to “ovarian dysfunction” should be aimed at increasing the likelihood of producing healthy eggs rather than "subsidizing" the hormonal production.

 

At Bay IVF Center we use Ovarian Reserve Assay (ORA) and ovarian ultrasound assessment to guide us in selecting the most appropriate additional testing and treatment options for female infertility.

 

If you have any questions regarding female fertility potential or to request an appointment, please contact us by phone at 650-322-0500, via email at care@BayIVF.com, or use the Contact Bay IVF Center form on this page.