Pool Method

Low ovarian reserve (low ovarian reserve) is the loss of the number of eggs (follicles) in a woman’s ovaries. The most important factor among the causes of low ovarian reserve is a woman’s age. The reserve decreases with age. Especially after the age of 35, the number and quality of follicles decrease rapidly. Although some patients are younger, they have fewer eggs than their peers. In these patients, it is emphasized that the factors causing the lack of reserve may also have reduced the quality.

Regular menstruation is not a sign of good ovarian reserve. Women with a small number of eggs can also menstruate regularly for a long period of time.

In women with low ovarian reserve, i.e. ovarian reserve and low AMH value, the pool method is recommended in IVF treatment. So, what is the pool method?

The pool method involves the collection and freezing of two or more eggs before embryo transfer. The resulting embryos are then thawed together and implanted into the uterus. The most important factor in this method is the freezing technique. Embryos should be very careful during the freezing-thawing process and should not be damaged. The pool method is used to increase the number of embryos and to obtain the embryos with the best chance of attachment.

The pool method consists of 2 or more egg retrieval procedures (OPU) and freezing the embryos before embryo transfer. In this method, the embryos in the pool are thawed together and (if necessary) transferred into the uterus prepared naturally or with medication under follow-up. The correct application of the embryo freezing technique plays an important role in obtaining positive results from the pool method.