Antega South Africa · Learning Videos
Dr Victor Hulme explains low and premature ovarian reserve — what the tests measure, what they do not tell you, and what the options are.
Ovarian reserve describes roughly how many eggs remain, and it is estimated with an AMH blood test and an antral follicle count on ultrasound. Those numbers mostly predict how the ovaries are likely to respond to stimulation in IVF, which is why they are used when planning a cycle. They are not a pregnancy test: a low AMH on its own does not tell you that you cannot conceive naturally, and it says little about egg quality, which tracks age more closely than any single number. Low ovarian reserve and premature ovarian insufficiency are also not the same thing — POI is a clinical diagnosis of ovarian function stopping before 40, with its own hormonal and long-term health implications, and it needs specialist assessment. Where reserve is low, the conversation usually covers not delaying, stimulation protocols suited to a lower response, banking eggs or embryos over more than one cycle, and, if response stays very low, donor eggs.
Recorded in 2022. If you have been told your AMH is low, ask for the antral follicle count and the full picture rather than acting on one number.
Use these guides for general background, and check the South Africa organisations named on this page for local detail.
Genetic counsellor Kelly Loggenberg explains what preimplantation genetic testing is, the different types and who might be offered it.
Professor Zozo Nene, reproductive medicine specialist at Steve Biko Academic Hospital and the University of Pretoria, explains how endometriosis and PCOS each affect fertility.
Dr Tasneem Mohamed, obstetrician and gynaecologist at BioART Fertility Centre, sets out how infertility is investigated and what the first round of tests looks for.
This video was produced by Fertility Show Africa Expert Talks (programme curated with IFAASA and SASREG) and is shared for education only. It is not medical advice and does not replace guidance from your own doctor or fertility clinic. Naming an organisation does not imply a partnership with Antega.
