Three successful pregnancies following natural conception over an 8-year time span despite serum follicle stimulating hormone level greater than 15 mIU/ml.
OBJECTIVE
To demonstrate that the concept that a level of serum follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) of > 15 mIU/ml on day 3 of a younger woman's menstrual cycle suggests that the remaining eggs are of very poor quality consistent with a woman of very advanced reproductive age is a fallacy.


METHODS
A woman with a serum FSH > 15 mIU/ml on day 3 was studied over an 8-year time period.


RESULTS
Despite the absence of therapy with follicle maturing drugs, and at the latter part of the study the development of oligomenorrhea, the woman had three successful conceptions over eight years without ART techniques. Though two of her pregnancies were treated with progesterone starting in the luteal phase, her last pregnancy was without any treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
The policy of certain physicians to advise couples that their eggs are extremely unlikely to develop into a normal pregnancy because of increased day 3 serum FSH and that they should immediately proceed to using donor oocytes (even if that is not their desire) is wrong. These women should be given an attempt to achieve a pregnancy with their own eggs. However, the treating physician should avoid the use of high-dosage follicle maturing drugs.
Check
J H
JH
The University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School at Camden, Cooper Hospital/University Medical Center, Dept. Obstet & Gynecol, Division of Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility, Camden, NJ, USA. laurie@ccivf.com
Giangreco
J
J
D000022:Abortion, Spontaneous; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005306:Fertilization / Q000502:physiology*; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D009865:Oocytes / Q000502:physiology*; D010060:Ovulation / Q000502:physiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011374:Progesterone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011372:Progestins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D047929:Term Birth
D011372:Progestins; D011374:Progesterone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone