Measurement of ovarian reserve, an important factor in female fertility potential, can only be approximated because precise tests are not currently available. Testing for diminished ovarian reserve gives couples the advantage of a more realistic estimate of the likelihood of fertility with treatment.
Ovarian reserve decreases with age.
Declining fertility with aging is not a new concept and low fertility rates with aging have been observed for centuries. This older data is likely to include substantial inaccuracies. A recent compilation of IVF pregnancy rates from the French medical system provides important guidelines for patients and physicians. IVF is an important tool for studying reproductive physiology because IVF corrects many of the variables that potentially affect the occurrence of pregnancy, such as frequency and timing of coitus or sperm migration to the egg. Average pregnancy rates decline gradually with age and do so more sharply after age 37.