Blood Test To Tell You: It’s Now Or Never For A Baby
Women can now find out how much
time they have left to start a family
with a simple blood test. The test checks
for levels of anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH)
which is made by the ovaries and plays a
vital part in the production of the female
hormone oestrogen. It also helps the egg
mature each month. The level of AMH
indicates how well the ovary is functioning
and, as this falls with age, experts believe
it is the best indicator of future fertility.
One in seven women now choose to become mothers beyond the age of 35
and this test could be vital for those wanting to delay motherhood but who
do not want to miss their chance of becoming a mum. The test can also be
useful to women wanting to know when they are likely to start the menopause.
And it can help couples assess how likely they are to succeed at IVF because
the higher the level of AMH the better quality the mother’s eggs are likely to
be. ‘Experts now agree that AMH is one of the most accurate measures of a
woman’s fertility,’ says Dr Ellis Downes, consultant gynaecologist and chief
executive of GynaeCheck in the UK who supply the test. The test kit can be
ordered over the internet, but unlike similar tests available can be done at any
stage in a women’s cycle. The sample is then sent to a laboratory. The results
will be delivered within five days and come in a traffic light form. Green means
the woman’s AMH levels are normal and that provided she has no other health
issues she should have no problem conceiving for the next 12 months at least.
Amber means that levels of AMH are starting to fall and she may have problems
conceiving if she delays for more than a year and red means that the levels of
AMH are very low and that she may be menopausal. The test can also be used
as a marker for polycystic ovary syndrome, a hormonal condition. For further
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