Kristie McNealy, MD

For women today, there are many factors that go into deciding when and if to have children.  Educational, career and financial decisions make more than 20% of women choose to wait to become pregnant until they are older than 35.  Making these decisions can be difficult however, when women weigh they’re current aspirations against the increasing odds of facing fertility problems if they choose to delay motherhood.

Now, a new test from Repromedix gives women the chance to make a more informed decision about whether to wait to have a baby.  Their new test, called Plan Ahead, estimates the number of eggs a woman has left in her ovaries, a number called the ovarian reserve.  The test works by measuring the levels of three ovarian hormones: inhibin B, anti-mullerian hormone (AMH) and follicle stiulating hormone (FSH).  A woman’s ovarian reserve is then compared to the value expected for her age giving a value called the ovarian reserve index.

According to the Plan Ahead European website, the test information is accurate for up to two years.  They recommend women test every two years after the age of 30.  In the US, the test costs $350, and is only available in limited areas.  You can check out their website to see if there is an office near you, or to sign up for notification when a new provider becomes available in your area.

The Plan Ahead test provides a unique look at fertility for women who are struggling with decisions related to choosing between pregnancy and their career or other aspirations.  Women should always keep in mind that ovarian reserve is only one factor which impacts fertility, and that a good result from the Plan Ahead test is no guarantee that they will be able to become pregnant.

For people who are interested in other ways to measure ovarian reserve as well as male factor infertility should check out an earlier post about at-home fertility test kits from Fertell.

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