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  • Q&A with Australian Health Practitioners

    Can endometriosis cause women to have a low egg reserve?

    Related Topics
    Endometriosis Pelvic Pain Women's Health
    I have recently had a blood test which shows that my egg reserve is 7.8. My Dr said that the normal levels are around 14
    • 2 answers
    • Jean Hailes for Women's Health
    • Kaitlin Edin
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  • Jean Hailes for Women's Health

    Jean Hailes for Women’s Health is a leader in women’s health, supported by funding from the Australian Government. We provide trusted and easy-to-understand information to … View Profile

    About 30% of women with endometriosis experience infertility. In mild endometriosis, there is no obvious reason why infertility occurs, but it is believed that there may be some body chemicals released from the endometriosis cells that interfere with the ability to conceive or affect early normal development of the embryo. In moderate to severe forms scarring may interfere with ovulation (release of eggs), passage of eggs along the fallopian tubes and/or ability of sperm to reach the eggs.
    For a list of common endometriosis symptoms, see www.endometriosis.org.au/about-endometriosis/symptoms.
    For other factors that could affect your fertility, see http://yourfertility.org.au

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  • Kaitlin Edin

    Acupuncturist

    Kaitlin Edin has been in practice since 2009 and has worked in a variety of clinical situations including group and private practice; as well as … View Profile

    Anit-Mullerian Hormone or AMH is the blood test that is usually done to determine ‘egg levels’ or ovarian reserves.
    AMH is a hormone that is produced by early developing antral follicles. These are the immature eggs that wake up from their dormant state and develop into mature eggs. As we women run out of eggs (makes us sound a bit like the easter bunny at the end of easter doesn't it) the number of these follicle decline in number and as a result the hormone levels that they excrete  falls too.

    A history of surgery to the ovary, or severe endometriosis are two or several factors that suggest an increased risk of low AMH levels.  Although depending on your age and amount of endometriosis, an AMH of 7.4 is still within good parameters (for conception) and wouldn't be considered all that low…

    However AMH levels have been known to fluctuate, being known to go down after laproscopy and come up after other interventions… which is not to say that the ovarian reserve with be fluctuating - that's pretty much set - but sometimes the follicles just don't produce as much of the hormone…it seems any kind of surgery can tend to disrupt more than your work schedule.

    So while severe endometriosis can put you in a higher risk category for lower levels of AMH, AMH is never the full story.

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