Woman, 19, Discovers Perimenopause, Freezes Eggs

A woman from Hertfordshire discovered she was perimenopausal at 19, with an ovarian reserve similar to that of a woman in her 40s. This diagnosis led her to freeze her eggs to preserve her chances of having a family in the future. The procedure was self-funded as it was not for medical necessity.

Fertility Discovery at Work

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Kira Jones, now 25, began working at the Herts & Essex Fertility Centre in 2020. While employed there, she decided to take an Anti-Mullerian Hormone (AMH) test, which indicates the number of eggs present in the ovaries. The results revealed her AMH level was 5.8pmol/l. This figure falls below the NHS reference range of 8.7 to 83.6pmol/l for women aged 20 to 24, suggesting a low ovarian reserve.

Ms Jones was informed that she was perimenopausal at 19. She told PA Real Life that she had always wanted a large family and was considering having children with her partner in the future. Upon receiving her test results, she was advised that if she wished to take action regarding her fertility, it needed to be done promptly.

She stated that delaying the process could have diminished her opportunity to preserve her eggs or conceive naturally later in life. The decision to proceed with egg preservation involved significant financial commitment, including initial fees and ongoing storage costs. As egg preservation for personal or lifestyle reasons is not covered by the NHS, Ms Jones had to finance the treatment herself, borrowing money from her family and making personal financial sacrifices.

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Ms Jones underwent two rounds of egg retrieval. A total of 26 eggs were retrieved, with 17 successfully frozen and stored. She described the experience as isolating and emotionally taxing, particularly as she knew no one else her age going through a similar situation.

Advocacy for Fertility Awareness

Beyond the fertility concerns, Ms Jones has also faced challenges related to early menopause, including osteopenia in her hips and the need for regular bone density scans. She has had to adopt a careful approach to her lifestyle, diet, and hormone monitoring. She also experiences daily brain fog, which she described as feeling like being a toddler again.

Ms Jones's experience has motivated her to encourage other young individuals to be aware of their fertility. She believes that given the trend of people delaying home ownership and starting families, open conversations about fertility are increasingly important. She expressed gratitude for having had the choice to act on her fertility preservation, rather than having that option removed.