Abnormally high FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone) as reflected on a blood test could mean that your ovaries do not have a sufficient amount of eggs for normal reproduction, a condition also known as poor ovarian reserve.
What is FSH?
FSH is a hormone produced by the pituitary gland which helps regulate the female reproductive process in the body. When a woman is born she already has a finite number of eggs stored in individual pockets of her ovaries called ovarian follicles. When she reaches reproductive age FSH is released each month in order to stimulate these follicles to prepare a single egg for ovulation.
Why is High FSH Bad?
A woman’s body has a special feedback mechanism which controls the amount of FSH that is being made. Often times when a woman goes through menopause or premature ovarian aging – two conditions in which the ovaries no longer have a sufficient amount of eggs available for reproductive potential – this feedback mechanism fails. Once this fails, uncontrolled amounts of FSH are produced by the pituitary gland. Therefore, health professionals consider high FSH levels a strong indicator that a woman likely has poor ovarian reserve. Poor ovarian reserve is associated with infertility and decreased chances of successful IVF treatments.
How is High FSH Treated?
Unfortunately, many fertility clinics still are in the practice of refusing treatment to women with high levels of FSH when, in fact, with proper treatment many women CAN succeed in a pregnancy without the use of an egg donor. Treatments typically focus on identifying the cause of the high FSH and using hormones, such as DHEA, and other methods to help increase the functionality of the ovaries.
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