It’s generally defined as a decreased number of oocytes—so, a lower egg quantity. Fertility doctors routinely measure ovarian reserve, since it helps them with counselling and determining treatment options and their success rates. A diminished ovarian reserve may be associated with an earlier onset of menopause, depending on your age. It may also suggest a lowered response to fertility medications (ovarian stimulation):: you might retrieve fewer eggs per cycle, so it can be a valuable piece of info to manage expectations on success rates. Having a lower success rate per treatment cycle may result in needing to undergo several cycles so it’s important for budgeting and planning, as well . DOR is a clinical diagnosis (made by your doctor), and it’s important to note that elevated FSH is only one of the markers. This screening test can highlight the need for further diagnostic testing, which may include bloodwork and an ultrasound. Elevated FSH is not a measure of egg quality, and doesn’t predict whether or not you will conceive without intervention (remember, in unmedicated cycles, we only expect one egg to be released at a time, so quality is the critical piece for success if you’re trying at home).