Does your ovarian reserve continue to deplete while you are pregnant?

IBackBevo

I know it does while you are on BC pills.  My AMH in like a year and 9 mos of it I was pregnant with DS.  My gut tells me yes and I think I have read stuff on this before but I can't find it now. Anyone know?

Edit: I realized my OP didn't makes any sense. I meant to say that my AMH dropped dramatically in a year and a few months when I was pregnant for 9 of those months.

FutureMrsW9

I have no idea, but I've HEARD that being pregnant is sort of like putting your body on pause.  Women who go through pregnancies tend to go through menopause later because of having put their systems "on pause," as well.  I have no idea if this is true, but I have heard this before so it could be that it does stop depleting when you're pregnant.  I can't for the life of me remember where I heard it, either, but I have heard/seen it multiple times.

ld08271

That's a really good question. All I know is that I was 26 when I conceived my DD and that once I started fertility treatments it was fairly easy (as IF goes). I got pregnant on my 2nd IUI. Then at 28/29 it was much harder. My body needed higher doses of stims and was slow to respond. I ended up doing IVF after 5 crappy IUIs. I know some women with IF get pregnant spontaneously after a pregnancy, like their body pressed a reset button. However, for me it was the opposite and I truly believe my fertility took a nose dive. I guess everyone is different. 

IBackBevo

@ID08271 - I was able to conceive spontaneously after pregnancy from ART even with undetectable AMH and a very low AFC (4-5).  My stats did get significantly worse from before DS1 vs after DS2.  However, since I am already in the "severe DOR" category, I was wondering if this will be even worse after DS2...or if pregnancy pushes a pause button.  I know for a fact I have read that birth control pills do not stop follicle depletion as you continue to lose them in the early stages...which is why some women go through POF while on the pill and never know it.  But because pregnancy is different, I did not know how it worked...

JSM0801

FutureMrsW9 said:

I have no idea, but I've HEARD that being pregnant is sort of like putting your body on pause.  Women who go through pregnancies tend to go through menopause later because of having put their systems "on pause," as well.  I have no idea if this is true, but I have heard this before so it could be that it does stop depleting when you're pregnant.  I can't for the life of me remember where I heard it, either, but I have heard/seen it multiple times.

I actually asked my old RE this question, and this was exactly what she told me. Basically, since your ovaries are not growing follicles/losing eggs during the 9 months of pregnancy, your reserve is pretty much frozen. I wonder if this is why the Duggar mom is on her 20th kid and nearing 50!

PhillyJ33

Great question and I am hoping the answer is no
Can't wait to see the answers!

RoseHQ12

Hmmmmm I heard the opposite from my RE. I excitedly told him my fertility couldn't have declined too dramatically since I was on "pause" while pregnant. He squashed that theory & said even during pregnancy fertility continues it's decline & you do continue to "shed" eggs during pregnancy.