Fertility testing is vital in helping patients understand their fertility levels, the ability to conceive and why the process may be taking longer than expected. There are a variety of fertility tests that can be conducted for both men and women.
If you’re trying to conceive, it is recommended that you have a fertility test if you’ve had regular sex without birth control for 12 months if you are under the age of 35 and for 6 months if you are over 35.
For women, testing may include blood tests or ultrasounds, whilst for men, full semen analysis and report may be required. Should a couple be attending fertility testing together, they may require advice and information on the process and on further consultations with a fertility specialist.
Fertility blood tests may be recommended in order to check for:
- Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH): The hormone that stimulates the fertile growth of the follicle containing the egg. This is often very low if the female patient is not having periods at all (also known as amenorrhea)
- Prolactin (PRL): PRL is usually elevated during pregnancy and plays a vital part in the establishment of breastfeeding. This may be elevated in women who are not pregnant, but whose periods have stopped or become infrequent
- Thyrotrophin (TSH): The level of TSH should be checked in order to rule out an underactive thyroid, which could be linked to irregular periods
- Androgens: Elevated androgen levels have been linked to women who have ovulation problems or who have polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)
- Luteinising hormone (LH): LH stimulates the growth of the follicle, which contains the fertile egg, just before ovulation. This may be at a normal or elevated level for female patients with irregular or no periods, normal or low in patients who have no periods and very low in patients who have had extreme weight loss, to the point that it affected their health
Fertility services which may require fertility tests, such as:
- IVF
- Egg donation
- IUI
- Frozen embryo transfer (FET)
- Egg sharing
- Surrogacy
- Blastocyst culture implantation
- And more
The Testing Process
Fertility Blood Testing is a simple blood test. Your phlebotomist will collect a small sample of your blood in a test tube or vial. The entire process only takes approximately 5 minutes.
Although the preparation for each test may differ, it’s important to drink lots of water before each test and to inform your healthcare professional should you be taking any medication, as this may affect your results.
If you’d like to find out more about our fertility blood tests, please contact us via our contact form, or give us a call.
*Blood tests are ordered by the doctor as needed, based on the patient’s symptoms and concerns. Occasionally alternate or additional tests may be required for accurate diagnosis.
