Low Ovarian Reserve

If you've been diagnosed with low ovarian reserve, you may be wondering if The Béa Treatment is for you. This article will explain more about the condition, the intracervical insemination (ICI) treatment, and how to improve your chances of conceiving.

Written by Sandy Christiansen, MSc

Lead Fertility Coach & Embryologist

Does the Béa Treatment work with low ovarian reserve?

Yes - it does! The Béa Treatment could be a good treatment option for low ovarian reserve. The Béa Applicator places our custom cervical cap against the cervix, holding semen in place for up to one hour. It increases the exposure to the cervical mucus, minimises the contact of semen in the vagina (where the pH can reduce sperm quality) and reduces semen backflow.

Reasons why people try ICI with low ovarian reserve

Right here, right now.

Have you been placed on a waitlist? Not with us. We know time is sensitive so you have instant access to fertility treatment and no additional delays.
An affordable treatment option

In some cases, a low AMH level may mean you're not eligible for funded fertility treatment. Clinical treatments can be really expensive if you're self funding - not with us!
Additional support

Trying to conceive with low ovarian reserve can be challenging and confusing. We're here to help.

What is low ovarian reserve?

Woman are born with all of the eggs they'll ever have. The ovarian reserve refers to the number of eggs a woman has left, which can contribute to the likelihood of getting pregnant. With age, it's natural for the ovarian reserve to decrease as the eggs are gradually lost over her lifetime (which is why it's often said that fertility decreases with age). However, it's not possible to predict exactly when fertility starts to decline or how quickly it might happen. Low ovarian reserve is closely linked with ovarian aging and the reduction in fertility due to the number of the remaining eggs.

This can be diagnosed with an ovarian reserve test which often looks at blood levels of anti-müllerian hormone (AMH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and an ultrasound confirming the antral follicle count (AFC). A diagnosis of low ovarian reserve may given if you have one or more of the following factors:

Low AMH

AMH is produced by small, immature follicles in your ovaries. Lower levels (< 5 pmol/L) indicate fewer follicles in the ovaries or less activity in the ovaries. While this can mean a lower ovarian reserve, it does not give an indication of egg quality.

Low AFC

Antral follicles are small follicles that we can see and measure with ultrasound. Each follicle contains an immature egg that can potentially develop and ovulate in the future. When there are fewer antral follicles (< 7 follicles) on a scan, it means that the number of potential eggs have decreased and there could be reduced ovulation.

High FSH

FSH is the hormone responsible for stimulating your ovaries to produce mature eggs. Elevated FSH levels (>10 IU/L) indicate that your ovaries need for more hormones in order to stimulate and produce mature eggs. This can also be an indication of lower egg quality.

The Béa Treatment is suitable for you if you have any of the above factors - as long as you are ovulating.

What causes low ovarian reserve?

Getting a diagnosis of low ovarian reserve can come as a shock as there are no noticeable symptoms that would indicate if you have it. However, there are a number of known factors that can cause it. These include:

Tubal disease
Endometriosis
Cancer treatments
Pelvic infection
Autoimmune disorders
Mumps
Certain genetic conditions

How does low ovarian reserve impact fertility?

Currently, there are no treatments that can slow down the ageing process in eggs or prevent low ovarian reserve. Low ovarian reserve can be associated with fertility problems, specifically if ovulation does not occur. It can also impact the quality of your eggs, which may reduce your chances of conceiving. But that doesn't mean that you can't get pregnant.

How can you improve your chances of conceiving?

If you have low ovarian reserve and you know that you’re ovulating, you can still get pregnant. There are few ways that you can improve your chances of conceiving:

1. Monitor your cycle

It is important to get an idea of whether you are ovulating and if you are ovulating at regular intervals. Use ovulation tests to help determine when you're ovulating. Read How do I use ovulation tests? for more support.

2. Lifestyle changes

While you can't do anything about the number of eggs you have left - you can make changes to benefit the quality. By making certain lifestyle changes, you could be improving the environment that the eggs grow and mature in - as it takes roughly 90 days for eggs to develop until ovulation. Quitting smoking (even vaping) and reducing alcohol consumption can be the best things you do for your fertility. Be mindful of your nutritional intake (eat the rainbow), incorporate nuts and seeds into your diet, increase your healthy fats and be sure to exercise.

3. Try the Béa Treatment

If you know that you're ovulating - the Béa Treatment can be a good option for low ovarian reserve. The Béa Applicator places our custom cervical cap against the cervix, holding semen in place for up to one hour.

An important note: While we know that the Béa Treatment can help people with low ovarian reserve conceive - we also know it won't work for everyone. If you've had a consultation with a fertility specialist and have received a treatment plan for the best chances of trying to conceive, then the Béa Treatment might not be suitable. The Béa Treatment is recommended for 3-6 cycles. Low ovarian reserve is complex and sometimes time is sensitive. We don't want to delay any other treatments that may be more suitable for you.

Accessing alternative treatment options with low ovarian reserve

In some cases, you may need clinical treatment to help you conceive. Unfortunately, in many cases, a low ovarian reserve may exclude you from NHS funded treatment - in which case you may be looking at these treatment options in private clinics. Self-funded treatment at a private fertility clinic can come at a large cost, so you may want to explore the costs at different clinics or look at their financing options.

1. In vitro fertilisation (IVF)

IVF uses stimulating hormones to increase the quantity of eggs retrieved during an egg collection procedure. The eggs are fertilised with a partner or donor sperm sample in the laboratory and the fertilised eggs (embryos) are grown until an appropriate stage for an embryo to be transferred to your uterus. For more details - read our article on IVF.

2. Mild IVF

Some women with low ovarian reserve cannot always increase the number of eggs with high dose stimulation. This could be due to the low amount of maturing follicles or a reduced blood flow to the ovaries. In this case, mild IVF may be recommended, where lower doses of medication are used for a shorter period of time.

3. IVF with donor eggs

In some cases, it might be recommended to pursue IVF with donor eggs. This could be due to your AMH level or follicle count. This could also be recommended after trying IVF with your own eggs, without getting pregnant or without making it to egg collection. Sometimes ovaries don't respond or don't respond well enough to the hormone stimulation and an IVF cycle may get cancelled. For more details - read our article on Using donor eggs.

How do you decide what treatment is right for you?

You will be able to discuss the different treatment options with your fertility specialist who will help outline the risks and benefits of each option. There are several things they may take into consideration when determining the best treatment type, including the results of your investigations, the possible outcomes of treatment, the risks involved with any treatment and your personal preferences. When pursuing any treatment with donor eggs - you will be offered a counselling session with a licensed fertility counsellor. They can help you think through all the complex issues and ensure you’re completely comfortable with your decision.

The key is to make sure that you feel confident and informed in order to move forward with any treatment - before it starts.

Speaking to your GP about the Béa ICI Treatment

The Béa Treatment is new on the market – it's possible your GP hasn't heard of it yet. It's an at-home fertility treatment that previously hasn't been accessible or available to purchase online. We know GP appointments are short - so here's the TL:DR version:

The Béa Treatment is the modern take on ICI (intracervical insemination). It's an at-home fertility treatment that's affordable and accessible. It involves placing a cervical cap with semen near the cervix and it has a pregnancy rate of 50% over 6 cycles.

References:

NHS – Ovarian reserve

ASRM – Ovarian reserve

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