Developments in women’s fertility science help women plan ahead for parenting.
Women in Malaysia are having children later in life. The Department of Statistics (DOSM) found that from 2001 to 2015, the mean age of first-time mothers increased from 26.6 years old to 27.7 years old. This means that on average, women in Malaysia are becoming parents at a later age.
This could be due to any number of reasons. Obstetrics and Gynaecology Society Malaysia (OGSM) president Dr Eeson Sinthamony disclosed that it is important for women who would like to have children to start planning for the future now and gain an understanding of their bodies. There are many options available now to help them make plans to have children later in life, such as AMH testing and egg freezing.
According to Eeson, 10 per cent of women in their early 30’s have significantly reduced fertility. While this rate of decline varies from person to person, numerous studies have established that in the 30’s age group, a woman’s ovarian reserve begins to decline.
“’Ovarian reserve’ refers to the number of eggs a woman has in her body to be fertilised, and it is also known as ‘egg count’. Each woman is born with a total of two million eggs, which are all of the eggs she will have in her lifetime. After a spike during puberty, this number begins to decline throughout her life.”
“Women who want to know how fertile they are may take an Anti-Müllerian Hormone (AMH) test. This will give them an indication on their remaining fertile years, and help give their doctor an idea of whether it will be easy for them to conceive, in the present or in the future.”
An AMH test is a simple blood test that can indicate a woman’s fertility. Blood levels of the Anti-Müllerian Hormone (AMH) are used as a marker of
a woman’s ovarian reserves (remaining supply of eggs available for fertilisation). This is an important consideration for women who are either planning for pregnancy or struggling with infertility.
For those who wish to plan for future motherhood, there is the option of freezing your eggs.
Currently, around 50 million couples worldwide are affected by infertility, and around 15 percent of women of reproductive age face fertility issues. Prior to the introduction of AMH testing, the most conventional female fertility test involved an invasive trans-vaginal ultrasound procedure. The AMH test is far more convenient by comparison, cutting out both discomfort, waiting time and confusion, as women can request a test from their physician at any time
– The Health
