What are your options with diminished ovarian reserve?

[Anonymous]

I'm not sure if I have this or not. I'm 40 and my D3 estrogen was elevated (so FSH while not elevated that reading was not reliable because of the elevated estrogen) and I've had 2 losses in the last 6 months (one early miscarriage and the other a trisomy). I am planning to go back to the RE shortly to do further testing but in the meantime I was wondering what others with this diagnosis have been doing to get pregnant - or is there no hope?

[Anonymous]

I am in the same shoes as you. Not sure if I have it, but my RE suspects that may be the problem. Will be doing testing this cycle to know for sure. The inital suggestion was to move to IVF...but when I explained we weren't ready for that step he said the next best option is injections with IUI to up our chances. He just doesn't love the idea of stimulating my ovaries so much for a procedure that doesn't have as hight of a success rate as IVF. Either way, we're not ready to spend the $17K for each IVF cycle quite yet. I'll be curious to hear what others say as well.

[Anonymous]

I was diagnosed with elevated FSH when I was 39. I pursued IVF as my course of treatment, as it gives much better odds for success and I don't feel like I have any time to lose. I am now 42 and haven't found the golden egg yet. I have not had success trying naturally, though I have gotten pregnant with IVF that has ended in m/cs.

OP - the fact that you are getting pregnant easily on your own is a good thing. Get the testing done to ensure there are no other issues and talk through the options with your RE. IVF can provide insight into general embryo quality and you can do further testing for chromosomal issues if you do PGD with IVF. It is also expensive and a very personal decision. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

We choose to go the donor egg route.

[Anonymous]

Options with DOR are not great. If you have the resources, I'd consider going to Cornell or CCRM to give yourself the best chance of success. they cost a little more than the local clinics (and may cost a lot more depending on the "extras") but your odds or success will be much better. Also, you don't really have time to try several cycles locally and then swtich.

Or you could adopt or do donor egg (but I assume you knew that already). Hope you are successful with whatever you decide!!!

[Anonymous]

If you can, go to IVF as soon as possible. Make sure you find a clinic that will treat you. Dr. Sacks at Columbia is one to try. I have this issue and it took me several years and several IVFs to finally have my sweet DC. Good luck - staying hopeful is key.

[Anonymous]

I'm 42 and currently pregnant after natural cycle IVF, it was a long shot but it worked.

[Anonymous]

I'm thinking of trying Dominion Fertility but Dr gordon had no appt available til next month, has anyone tried their new RE?

[Anonymous]

Given your issues, I wouldn't go with a new RE. I think you need someone with a lot of experience with older/DOR patients. I'd ask Dr G (or whoever you meet with) what percent of their patients are DOR.

[Anonymous]

Dominion Fertility is not FSH friendly unless you want to do natural cycle IVF. If you want to go that route, please go with Dr. G and not Dr. M. Dr. G is MUCH nicer.

[Anonymous]

I second the recommendation of going to Cornell if you can, Dr. Owen Davis is great.

[Anonymous]

Dominion only did 7 cycles with women age 41-42 during the most recent year when data is available (see http://www.sart.org/find_frm.html#). I'd go to a clinic with more experience with older women and one that has relatively good success rates with DOR (you can look at success rates by diagnosis using the SART link).

[Anonymous]

I also recommend that you consider traveling to Cornell if you want to do a stimulated IVF. If you don't want to do stimulated, I think you should consider natural cycle IVF. I am DOR (turning 40 next month), and I just got pregnant through natural cycle at Dominion. It was my second try. With DOR, you have more fragile eggs that often don't respond well to the medications they use for stims. See this article, which basically says: Yes, you can get pregnant... but we can't get you pregnant through stimulated IVF because we will hurt your eggs."
http://www.childbirthsolutions.com/articles/preconception/eggs/index.php

[Anonymous]

I don't mean to hijack this thread but I turned 41 a few months ago and I'm doing my second cycle IUI. I got pregnant on the first cycle but it ended up being a chemical. I also got pregnant twice on my own in the last year but both were chemicals. After reading this thread I'm wondering if the IUIs are a complete waste of my time? Nobody has ever said anything to me about my numbers -- just that they were in the normal/good range.

[Anonymous]

That article is from 1998!

In any event, to answer OP's question, your options depend on just how diminished your ovarian reserve is. If your FSH is around the 12-14 level, you can do regular IVF at any of the respected clinics around here. If it is in the high teens, you could try a regular IVF approach to see if your ovaries will respond to the drugs. If it is in the 20s or higher, mini-stim or natural cycle IVF might be options for you.