Introduction
In this article, let’s discover the importance of follicles and how to increase antral follicle count.
Follicles are small fluid-filled sacs that hold the eggs in a woman’s ovaries.
They are an essential part of the female reproductive system and are key to a woman’s fertility.
Follicles help to produce hormones necessary for ovulation and the successful fertilization of an egg. They are also responsible for transporting the egg to the uterus for implantation.
What are follicles?
Follicles are tiny sacs filled with fluid inside a woman’s ovaries.
Women start puberty with around 300,000 and 400,000 follicles and emit hormones that affect the menstrual cycle stages.
Each follicle is capable of releasing an egg for fertilization.
What is the antral follicle?
A woman’s ovary contains a lot of tiny follicles that are too small to be seen even through an ultrasound.
The follicles in the starting stage of a cycle are called primordial follicles, and the average size of these follicles is 0.025mm.
But after a certain stage, the follicles grow bigger and develop a fluid-filled cavity inside them called the antrum, and the follicles with this cavity are called antral follicles.
These follicles are about 2–10 mm in diameter, which can be seen through an ultrasound.
Can we find antral follicle count in ultrasound?
Yes, the ultrasonic technician can count the number of follicles that are between 2 and 10 mm and find out the average follicle count.
Normal antral follicle count per ovary
On average, if the antral follicle count is between 9 to 12, then the woman is considered to have an adequate or normal count.
If there are fewer than 6 antral follicles, then it is considered a lesser antral follicle count, and if the count is over 12, then it is called a higher antral follicle count.
What is a good antral follicle count to get pregnant?
Doctors says that the antral follicle count of over 10 is great to conceive. It is important to increase antral follicle count in order to get pregnant.
Follicle count for IVF success rate?
For an IVF to be successful, the antral count should be around 15 to 30. If your antral count is too low, doctors might suggest some tips to increase antral follicle count.
However, the antral follicle count alone cannot decide the whole process of fertilization and conception, as the number of mature eggs also plays an important role in pregnancy.
For an IVF treatment to be successful, there should be a minimum of 4 mature eggs.
Steps to increase antral follicle count
Although there is no assurance of increasing antral follicle count, here are a few lifestyle changes that might help increase the chances:
Supplements:
It is proven that taking selenium and vitamin E as antioxidant supplements can potentially increase the number of antral follicles.
Quit smoking:
Smoking has a huge impact on reducing the antral follicle count and can permanently accelerate egg loss and possibly mutate eggs, rendering them unfit for fertilization.
Reduce tension:
Long-term stress causes a continuous production of hormones like cortisol, which can block or interfere with ovulation as it naturally happens, among other physiological and psychological repercussions.
Continue to exercise:
Regular exercise can help with almost every element of improving general health.
The ovaries can receive more oxygen and nutrients thanks to an improvement in general blood flow.
Exercise is another way to lessen stress.
Eat a balanced diet:
Because there are no specific foods that will magically improve egg production and increase antral follicle count , what you put into your body will always have an impact on it.
Try to have a varied diet that is high in fiber-rich fruits and vegetables, such as green leafy vegetables, whole grains, and lean meats. Consume no trans fats.
Get an egg examination:
Far too many people put off getting their eggs checked until they are already experiencing problems conceiving.
Early and frequent visits to a nearby fertility clinic can aid in monitoring egg quantity and quality and provide patients with a better grasp of reproductive health and fertility.
A fertility clinic offers a variety of tools and tests to support the procedure, including:
- Follicular Study
- Follicle-stimulating hormone test
Conclusion
Antral follicles are crucial for pregnancy especially when it comes to fertility treatments like IVF or IUI.
To increase antral follicle count, changing one’s lifestyle plays a major role. If you are looking to monitor your follicles or looking for any gynecology-related scans, contact Jammi Scans, T. Nagar, Chennai.
Chennai Women’s Clinic is now Jammi Scans
