Kira Jones, a 25-year-old from Hertfordshire, was diagnosed as perimenopausal at age 19 after an Anti-Mullerian Hormone (AMH) test revealed her ovarian reserve was comparable to someone in their late 30s or 40s. The discovery led her to freeze her eggs immediately, a decision she says was financially and emotionally challenging but necessary to preserve her chance of having a family.
Shocking Diagnosis at a Young Age
Jones, who works at the Herts & Essex Fertility Centre, took the AMH test in 2020 simply because it was available to her. The results showed her AMH level was 5.8 pmol/l, far below the typical range of 8.7 to 83.6 pmol/l for women aged 20 to 24. "I didn't even know I was perimenopausal," Jones told PA Real Life. "I thought I was just a regular person, just had a few irregular periods here and there."
Urgent Decision to Preserve Fertility
After receiving her results, Jones was told that if she wanted to "do something about it," it had to be "done here and now." She borrowed money from her family and made personal financial sacrifices to fund the egg retrieval and ongoing storage fees, as NHS funding is only available for medical necessity. "It was a decision that I knew I had to make, and it came with financial pressure and emotional pressure, because it's come out of the blue," she said.
Egg Retrieval and Health Challenges
Jones underwent two rounds of egg retrieval, successfully freezing 17 out of 26 eggs. She also faces ongoing health issues related to early menopause, including osteopenia in her hips and daily brain fog. "I'm 25, this is my prime, and yet my body's almost restricting what I'm able to do," she explained. She now monitors her hormone levels and adjusts her lifestyle and diet accordingly.
Advocating for Fertility Awareness
Jones hopes her story encourages other young people to consider their fertility. "You always think, 'Oh, I can just have a family, I'll be all right,'" she said. "But it almost felt like wow, maybe it's not going to be okay." She urges conversations about fertility, especially as people delay starting families. Looking ahead, Jones and her partner are open to various paths to parenthood, including IVF, adoption, or fostering.
