Ovarian Reserve Testing

Neil Johnson

Recent research revealed that infertility rates almost double after the age of 26.  One in five New Zealand women aged 27-plus will have difficulty conceiving or sustaining a pregnancy to term.  With the average age women giving birth in New Zealand just over 30 years, many couples will end up childless because they have run out of time to conceive naturally or have fertility assistance.  A woman’s natural fertility may decline rapidly from age 35, and ten percent of women also experience diminished ovarian reserve in their early to mid thirties.  For those who still want to have children, the outlook can be bleak. 
Dr. Neil Johnson is spearheading a study to find early warning signs of diminished ovarian reserve.  The aim is to give women an indication of the number of eggs remaining in her ovaries, and the amount of time left to conceive.  The results of this important study will help New Zealand women plan their families earlier – to increase their chances of successfully having children and to avoid unnecessary fertility treatments.

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