Knowledge is power in any area. So many of our thirty something and young forty something adult children are just now beginning to think about being parents. We had heard of freezing ones eggs to preserve ability to have children. Many of us Boomer Grandmas –to- be even encourage and pay for freezing eggs and storage. Now, there are tests available to get more information before going that route immediately.
Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) test
One that is being reported on most now is called the Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) test, nicknamed the “baby deadline test.” A woman is born with a finite number of eggs, about one to two million, which drops to about 300,000 at puberty. The number of eggs declines further with age and, ostensibly around age 30 goes down about ninety percent.
Francie Diep, in “I Took the Baby Deadline Test, “December 30, 2015 at https://newrepublic.com/article/126809/took-baby-deadline-test describes what the test does:
“Anti-Müllerian hormone is produced by the small, growing follicles in the ovaries. These follicles are tiny, liquid-filled capsules, in which human eggs mature. Measuring how many growing follicles a woman has-or at least, how much anti-Müllerian hormone they make-is a measure of how many eggs the woman has left. It’s a bit like estimating how many blown dandelions are in a field by measuring the number of seeds floating in the air.”
Natural fertility rates drop from losing both quantity and quality of eggs in aging. The test does not measure the quality of the eggs, just the quantity. It does not tell if a woman will be fertile. The test has been around for a while, and costs about $100, sometimes covered by insurance. Now, doctors are offering it in their offices, not only to those women with existing fertility problems, but just because one can find out.
3-D Ovary Ultrasound
Another test actually allows doctors to count the follicles in the ovaries. It is called a 3-D ultrasound. It is far more expensive and far more complicated. It is usually part of a fertility analysis for those having difficulty conceiving.
follicle-stimulating hormone test
According to WebMD, the follicle-stimulating hormone test measures the amount of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), produced by the pituitary gland, in a blood sample. It can evaluate a woman’s egg supply in the ovaries and also a man’s low sperm count.
“In women, FSH helps control the menstrual cycle and the production of eggs by the ovaries. The amount of FSH varies throughout a woman’s menstrual cycle and is highest just before she releases an egg (ovulates). In men, FSH helps control the production of sperm. The amount of FSH in men normally remains constant. The amounts of FSH and other hormones (luteinizing hormone, estrogen, and progesterone) are measured in both a man and a woman to determine why the couple can’t become pregnant (infertility). The FSH level can help determine whether male or female sex organs (testicles or ovaries) are functioning properly.”
Just as we expect to live longer, so do our adult children. They want to build careers and enjoy life and postpone the decision to have children. None of the tests really provide answers that women are seeking if they are considering freezing eggs, but they are just the best out there for more information. With all the tests, age seems to be still the scientifically soundest predictor of fertility, so for those Grandmas-to-be who are paying for egg storage already, you can breathe easy.
For us Boomer Grandmas, other questions arise. Will we be young enough and healthy enough to care for and enjoy the grandchildren that arrive in our later years? Will we then be around to watch these later in life babies grow, and be around to share the life passage events and special occasions in their lives? How much participation will we be able to have in these babies’ lives and how much help will we be able to be to their parents?
The good news is that there are options all around. There are never any guarantees in life as to anything. It’s just good to know that there are scientific advances for those who want to wait to be parents and those who want to be grandparents. . . .and are just waiting for the
Joy,
Mema
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