Clomid users may find IVF success with blood tests

Many women who are struggling with fertility issues use Clomid to change their bodies' hormone balance and induce ovulation. New information shows that these patients could benefit from a blood test to determine their levels of Anti-Mullerian hormone and in turn predict their chances of becoming pregnant through in vitro fertilization (IVF).

Anti-Mullerian hormone
AMH is a protein that plays a vital role in the reproductive organ development of embryos. It has recently been established my several studies as an excellent way to measure fertility potential in females with diminished ovarian reserves.

A study published in the March 2013 edition of the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism by researchers at Uppsala University found that, no matter their age, women with high levels of AMH were 2.5 times more likely to become pregnant and experience a live birth after IVF than women with lower AMH levels. This is the first study to show that, no matter the number of eggs retrieved for IVF, there is a direct connection between AMH and pregnancy and birth rates. Previous studies have established the connection between higher levels of AMH and the likelihood of several healthy eggs remaining.

Other studies
In a 2010 study in Human Reproduction Update, researchers at the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology conducted a review of several published studies and found that, overall, to all types of Assisted Reproductive Technology than other markers like FSH, estradiol and inhibin B levels and patient age.

Researchers advised that AMH tests could suggest an individualized treatment plan for each patient struggling with fertility. They concluded that more research must be done to analyze the costs and benefits of using AMH to determine ovarian reserve.

Determining AMH
?Levels of AMH can be determined through a simple blood test that can be done any time. In contrast, an older method of determining egg supply, a follicle-stimulating hormone test has to be done on the third day of a woman's menstrual cycle. Additionally, according to Dr. Steven T. Nakajima, president of the Society for Reproductive Endocrinology and Fertility, not only is an AMH test more convenient than an FSH test, . An FSH test can cost upwards of $100, while the AMH test is between $60 and $85.