I've just been reading about yet another type of body clock testing - see this
It sounds like a great idea - take a simple test and see how late you can leave it to try to get pregnant. However, there are a number of problems.
For a start, this particular body clock test costs £350 - a tidy sum for a scan and some bloods... Perhaps you could justify shelling out that much if you were worried about your declining fertility and seeking some reassurance - but that's exactly where the second problem lies. The results could suggest that you're in tip top reproductive condition, nowhere near the menopause, and have some years to go. What they won't show is any other underlying fertility problems you may have, such as blocked fallopian tubes. You could risk delaying starting to try for a baby until it's too late for you - all because this test showed that your ovaries looked fine.
These tests also work on the premise that if there is a problem, you'll be able to freeze your eggs right away as an insurance policy against reproductive ageing. And that's the final issue. Egg freezing is still a relatively new science, and having eggs in the freezer doesn't guarantee a future pregnancy. It is expensive and is only worth doing if you understand the limitations and have no other options.
So, body clock testing may sound sensible - but should probably be taken with a large pinch of salt!
2 comments:
The cost of £350 is for a transvaginal pelvic scan, an AMH blood test and a consultation and is quite in keeping with costs for private investigations. It is made very clear that this is a test of Ovarian Reserve - one aspect of fertility but an important one. Yes blocked tubes might mean IVF but if your ovarian reserve is low even that is less likely to be successful. So rather than take it with a pinch of salt, be aware of whats available and the options. Egg freezing is relatively new too but it has been around for a couple of years now in the UK and success rates are coming close to those from fresh embryos. Its surely a question of providing accurate information and allowing people to make informed decisions.
Bryan Beattie
UK Body Clock Network
Thanks for your comment. Yes, of course it is important to provide accurate information and for people to be able to make informed decisions - but it is also very important that people don't think that this kind of body clock testing is a test of fertility because there is so much more to it than that, as you acknowledge.
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