Today I would like to talk to you about Ovarian Reserve. The term ovarian reserve means egg inventory, how many eggs are left in the ovary. When a woman starts menstruating as a teenager she has about 500,000 eggs in her ovaries, and over time batches of these eggs will be released every month. So by the age of 30 a woman only has 10% of her eggs left, and at age 40 she only has 3% of her eggs left. That sounds rather alarming, but the good news is fertility is still quite good when a woman is in her thirties.
What Is Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is a common hormonal disorder that affects millions of women in the U.S. The underlying cause of this condition is not known.
Like most medical problems that are referred to as “syndromes”, PCOS is made up of a cluster of signs and symptoms. Women with polycystic ovary syndrome may have some or all of the following features:
The Effect of Alcohol on Fertility
The data regarding the effects of moderate alcohol intake on fertility is inconclusive at this time. The largest prospective studies conducted in Europe indicate that high levels of alcohol consumption are associated with greater difficulty conceiving.
One small Danish study identified a slight delay in conception even with alcohol ingestion of 5 drinks or less per week. However, this research relies on self-reporting of alcohol consumption which may be inaccurate. In many cases, the studies do not fully account for other factors that could be affecting fertility.