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I am 36 with Day 3 FSH 6.4 and Day 10 FSH of 9.1. I have two questions:
After 3 weeks of BCP, I had an ultrasound that showed only 4 antral follicles. Everywhere I have read, 4 antral follicles is a really low number and not good for IVF response. Is this the proper measure to use when counting follicles after suppression?
Is it a bad sign that my day 10 FSH didn't get back down to 6.4?
Thank you.
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An antral follicle count is probably not valid after being on birth control pills for more than a couple of weeks.
Good luck.
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So do BCP's lower the antral follicle count? I had a recent count of four and responded poorly to stims. Could it be that the antral follicle count was low because I was on BCP's for 4 weeks prior?
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It is not likely that the birth control pills will have very much effect on the antral follicle count, if the ovaries are well visualized with ultrasound.
Good luck.
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You had answered earlier in a reply the the follicle count was probably not valid after being on BCP's for a couple of weeks. Why is that?
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Birth control pills decrease the release of FSH and LH from the pituitary. After follicles reach a certain size, the follicles repond to FSH and continue to grow. While they are still very small, they grow without FSH stimulation. Without FSH to promote further growth, they may be too small to identify with ultrasound, but I cannot predict to what extent small follicles may or may not be visible. Therefore, the decreased reliability.
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