Egg Quality, Quantity and Fertility

+ my experience with checking in on my fertility status ♥️

Last year, I made the decision to undergo a fertility check-in.

Not out of concern but rather out of curiosity.

And as a healthy 27-year-old, I didn’t anticipate much from the examination.

But once I was settled in the chair with my feet in the stirrups, the anxiety kicked in.

The uncertainty of the situation flooded my mind:

• What if the results indicate a low egg count?

• Would I need to consider egg freezing?

• What if I have a high egg count and am diagnosed with PCOS?

• What if my fertility marker is alarmingly low?

• and what the heck would do I next?

When the technician entered the room, I took a deep breath… and then bombarded her with questions 😂

Honestly, I got very little information back.

When the doctor contacted me about a week later, her explanations were minimal.

She assured me that everything was fine and “looked good” but recommended I still considering egg freezing…leaving me puzzled.

I went to my OBGYN at the time who then told me there was “no reason at all for me to consider egg freezing and I shouldn’t think about it until I’m in my mid 30s”

Then I went to my PCP who said “why why not”

Then friends, family and coworkers who all had different opinions.

And so the experience left me with two takeaways:

1. Many fertility clinics, like any other business, operate with a profit agenda. And their focus leans towards utilizing technology to enhance fertility.

meaning, if you go to a fertility clinic, they will likely recommend procedures such as egg freezing (even if not necessarily necessary).

This isn’t a judgment - just a fact. Similar tow when you walk into a dermatologist office, they’ll likely suggest botox, or a dentist recommending preventative teeth whitening.

2. While it was helpful to know where my fertility status landed with some of these tests, I found the ambiguity surrounding the results to be unsettling

and so I set off to do things a bit differently.

Choosing to undergo egg freezing or explore fertility status is a personal choice that can be influenced by many factors - age, health context, relationship status, etc.

So this is not meant to deter anyone from any one choice - but rather, to offer some education so you can empower yourself with knowledge around your fertility picture, options, and path forward.

What tests are used to understand fertility?