What is the ovarian reserve function

Age The number of follicles in a woman’s ovaries is fixed after birth and decreases with age, i.e., the ovarian reserve function decreases. Because the patient’s age is very objective and easily accessible, it has been considered a very important indicator in clinical work to evaluate ovarian reserve function. It is generally recognized that women older than 35 years of age have a dramatic decline in ovarian reserve function, decreased responsiveness to Gn, and a more rapid decline in fertility. However, it is important to note that a woman’s biological age sometimes does not exactly match her ovarian reserve function. For example, in patients with premature ovarian failure, ovarian function is often lost during the childbearing years, resulting in the loss of fertility. In this case, the ovarian age, also known as the “biological age”, is more reflective of the true reserve function of the ovaries. Studies have shown that ovarian age is influenced by genetic, environmental, and surgical history of the ovaries, and is mainly assessed by sex hormones and functional markers. Therefore, physiologic age can only be used as a rough predictor of ovarian reserve function and responsiveness, and physiologic age combined with biological age can truly reflect ovarian reserve function. Basal Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) Because FSH is easy to measure and has a high specificity, it is another important indicator of ovarian reserve function in clinical practice.FSH values are affected by estradiol (E2), which varies at different times of the menstrual cycle, and FSH values measured on the second to third day of menstruation (basal FSH) are usually used to assess ovarian reserve function. Basal sinus follicle number It is generally recognized that AFC predicts ovarian responsiveness more meaningfully in practice than patient age and basal FSH, and is the best single indicator of ovarian reserve function and responsiveness. Anti-Mullerian Hormone Anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) is a peptide growth factor belonging to the transforming growth factor (TGF)-β family of growth and differentiation factors, which has a very important role in gonadal organ development. In women, AMH is secreted by the granulosa cells of the pre-sinus follicle and the sinus follicle. Since AMH is not affected by the menstrual cycle, unlike the measurement of basal FSH and basal AFC, which generally require early menstruation, there are no special requirements for the period of AMH testing.