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FSH is the pituitary hormone which stimulates the ovaries to grow follicles, the cystic structures where the eggs are located. A high FSH implies you are runnung out of follicles, and, therefore, eggs. Athird test to consider is a follocle count, using ultrasound. If you do not have at least 4 follicles visible on each ovary, you have very poor ovarian reserve, and shold use an egg donor.
Good luck.

I'm going to be doing ivf (I had my tubes tied @21) and I was wondering if having that ultrasound for a follicle count would help even if I did have a high fsh? The doctor says high fsh doesen't respond well to the fertility medice I'd have to take . I'm so confused. If there is any chance at all, I''d love to use my own eggs. I feel that the doctor has already given up any options beside donor eggs. Should I request the ultrasound? What if the doctor still says no? I'm thinking about findind a different doctor, I don't feel the doctor I have now cares one way or another about what I should or should not do. Please let me know what you think.
Thanks so much for your time.
belle

You have to be comfortable with whomever you are seeing for care. You will have to decide if yyou should see another doctor

I do some testing of the endometrium, as described in my web page, and do ultrasound as part of the test protocol. As a result, I use the follicle count as a conformatory test of the FSH. There are some reports in the literature that it is more sensitive as a predictor of ovarian reserve than a single FSH or clomiphene challenge test.

Thanks for your advice Doctor. I'm going to check in and see about getting that follice count ultrasound done. I also am going to change my Dr. I just don't feel comfortable w/ him. It's great to have a site like where we all can come and get information and ease our minds. Thanks again.
Belle :)

Hello, Here's my story...I just turned 40. I have a healthy 5 yr old. I lost a pg to T21 last Sept. I have been seeing an RE but have not been given promising news. Last month my Day 2 FSH was 8 BUT my estrodiol was 140 (thru the roof). My RE sent me for the "clomid challenge" test. Today is Day 3, and I went for the u/s and bloodwork this morning. THe u/s showed SIX small follicles on my left side and two on the right. I was so excited, as I've NEVER had this many (usually one or two). Then, my RE left me a message this afternoon saying that my bloodwork came back: my estrodiol was normal at 47 BUT my FSH is abnormally high at 21.2. I am so upset. THis implies dimished eggs and poor quality. Ugh. I am continuing with my protocol of taking the clomid, but I have a feeling it's just going thru the motions. I don't think they are going to treat me. RE already told me if I "failed" the clomid challenge test that I am NOT a candidate for IVF. I forgot to mention that I got pg FIRST TIME on gonal F with my 5 yr old and the baby I lost in Sept, so I was responding to it. Please tell me if there is hope!!!
Thank you!
Lyn

I am sorry, but from your description, you will be better served with donor egg. Even if you did have resonable ovarian reserve, the data from our professional society indicate that embryos from women between the ages of 40 and 44 do not do well. Only about 6% of them implant.
Good luck.

Dear Doctor,
My husband and I had our first infertility appt at the Oxford women's clinic in England.

My FSH level was 10.4 IU/L. The doctor said I was borderline for IVF but that we could still go ahead with it. He said between 10 and 15 is considered borderline.

On arriving back home and going through all my tests again, I realised that my regular GP arranged for my blood to be taken on day 5 of my cycle.

I have driven myself slightly crazy trying to establish whether the day 5 sample, which I now realise should have been taken on day 2 or 3, would have produced a significantly different reading?

Some websites seem to imply a slight rise after day 3, which gave me hope that my 10.4 might be normal after all, but my husband found graphs which appeared to show the opposite! Any thoughts?
We'd be most grateful for your advice.
Best wishes, Julia

Your FSH is borderlinebut the day 3 vs day 5 would make little difference. Perhaps a more sensitive measure of ovarian reserve is to count the number of follicles visible on ultrasound. You want each ovary to have at least 4 visible follicles.
Good luck.

Dear Dr Jacobs,
Thanks very much for your reply.

I suppose one of the research documents I read stating that there was an average rise of 0.4 iu/L from day 3 to day 5 was inaccurate.

Thanks again, Julia

The optimal time to determine the concentration of FSH is cycle day 2 to 4. Does that mean that if you blood had been drawn on day 4 it would have been 10.1 Iu/L? Or it had been drawn on day 3, would it have been 9.7 Iu/L? It does not really matter. You are still borderline.
Good luck.

I have a fsh level of 17. I am 45 years old and had a miscarriage at 7 weeks in December. Do you think there is any chance of getting pregnant, naturally or using Clomid, or should I just give up? My first husband had low sperm count and passed away 4 uears ago. I have recently remarried and was trying my luck at getting pregnant. Thank you for your advice.

At the age of 45, your chances of a successful pregnancy are remote. Clomid is not likely to provide a benefit. If you wish to become pregnant and have a healthy child, your best opportunity, by far, is to use an egg donor.
Good luck.

Hello.. i am a bit confused. Please help. I am 33 years old. I did the 3 day ultrasound with the follicle count of 6 on one side and 10 on the other, but my FSH levels were 21.4. What is my chance in getting pregnant on IVF? Also, I do have pcos and i heard that this can give a false high reading on FSH levels. Can extreme stress create high FSH levels? Thanks for your help. Allison

I do not have a good explanation for your high FSH, with so many follicles. If you have been on clomid, recently, that is a possible explanation. With such a good follicle count, you probably have adequate oarian reserve.
Good luck.

Hi,
I just turned 40. In the last year my period was late about a week, and I went to see a doctor. He asked me to do an FSH test to check my hormones. My FSH was amazing high at 69, and I feel like the earth was moved underneeth my feet. What does that mean? Does it mean that I should forget any chance to conceive from now forward? My doctor stated very clearly that my chances to become pregnant are very slim to impossible, but he asked me to repeat the test again in case of some eroneous data. Are there any other tests to do to see if there are any eggs in my ovaries and their quality? Also, I have heard of frozing eggs, a technique similar to frozen sperm. Is this is someting I can do? Where can I get some more info about it? Also, is there are any therapy and diet to follow to drop the FSL level? I heard of weatgrass piles etc.. One last question is, are there are any other symptoms that go along with the high FSH level? Any advice you can give will be greatly appreciated it...

Hi,
I just turned 40. In the last year my period was late about a week, and I went to see a doctor. He asked me to do an FSH to test my hormones. My FSH was 69, and I feel so desperate. What does that mean? Does it mean that I should forget any chance to conceive from now forward? My doctor stated very clearly that my chances to become pregnant are very slim to impossible. Are there any other tests to do to see if there are any eggs in my ovaries and their quality? Also, I have heard of frozing eggs, a technique similar to frozen sperm. Is this is someting I can do? Where can I get some more info about it? Also, is there are any therapy and diet to follow to drop the FSL level? I heard of weatgrass piles etc.. One last question is, are there are any other symptoms that go along with the hig FSH level? My doctor asked me to do the test again in case there was an erroneous result. Any advice you can give willbe greatly appreciated it...