People often assume it, but fertility tests are not something you need to wait for until years of unsuccessful pregnancy attempts have passed. In fact, it is better to do it while you’re in your 20s, as they are a great diagnostic tool that give super useful clues about your reproductive health. Not only can that information help you better understand your body, but it also empowers you to make some smart calls about your future.
Unfortunately, there is no one true test that can give you a complete picture of your fertility yet. So women often find themselves confused about what fertility tests they truly need to undertake. But it’s time to clear the fog on this matter – let us explore the key fertility tests that every woman should consider to better understand their fertility.
How is your fertility checked through hormone blood tests?
When you first go in for a fertility test, chances are that you will first need to take a few blood tests. These tests serve as the starting point for all the subsequent tests and check a few important hormones that regulate your menstrual cycle and ovulation. These tests come up first because doctors need to assess your ovarian reserve and hormonal balance before moving forward.
Coming to the tests themselves, the first of the bunch is the anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) test. This test measures the level of said hormone in your blood. AMH is directly related to the number of eggs remaining in your ovary – this means that a higher level means that you have a healthy reserve of eggs and vice versa. It’s a pretty reliable reading of your reserves, too: you can get it at any point in your menstrual cycle, and the result will be the same every time.
The second one on the list is the follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) test, which you usually take on day 2 or 3 of your menstrual cycle. In this test, the doctors artificially simulate your ovaries to produce eggs to note the glands’ efficiency. If your levels come out high in this one, it means that your ovaries are working harder than they should to release an egg – another sign that suggests low ovarian reserve. With this test, the doctors will also measure your oestradiol levels, as high oestradiol levels can mess with FSH levels, which, in turn, can give an inaccurate impression of a healthy reserve.
Your luteinising hormone levels are also checked through these blood tests. Our body’s LH levels tend to surge just before an egg is released, so measuring them helps the doctor confirm whether you’re ovulating regularly or not. Another set of hormones that helps identify issues with your fertility is produced by the thyroid gland. People may not realise it, but these hormones also play a big part in regulating the body’s menstrual cycle, and both underactive and overactive thyroid conditions can interfere with ovulation and fertility.
But at the end of the day, the hard truth is that these hormone tests by themselves are never enough to understand fertility. Yes, they can highlight any issues that could affect your fertility and allow you to address them early. But they cannot predict if or when you will be able to conceive. These tests are just one part of a bigger whole, and that’s where all imaging tests step in to further complete the picture.
What are the different imaging tests for fertility?
The first imaging test you’ll be having will likely be a transvaginal ultrasound. In it, a small probe is placed inside your vagina to grab clear images of your uterus and ovaries. It may sound like a rough time on paper, but the procedure is relatively comfortable and takes only a few minutes of your time. It’s pretty simple, and you can return to your everyday life almost immediately afterwards.
Coming back to the procedure itself, doctors capture these images to assess the structure of your reproductive organs. They also look for fibroids, cysts, or any other problematic growth that can affect your health and chances of pregnancy in the future. Not to mention, it also allows them to count the number of follicles in your ovaries, which, combined with the AMH and FSH results, provides a complete view of your ovarian reserve.
When checking for your reproductive system’s structure, another part that takes a high priority is your fallopian tubes, which carry eggs from the ovaries to the uterus when you’re ovulating. To check their health, the doctors opt for hysterosalpingo-contrast sonography or HyCoSy for short. In the test, a bit of fluid is placed in your uterus, which is then tracked through the fallopian tubes using ultrasound. The movement patterns can help doctors identify any blockages or damage that may cause issues in the future.
Another test that serves a similar purpose is HSG (hysterosalpingography). Instead of an ultrasound, this procedure uses X-ray imaging and a contrast dye to examine your uterus and fallopian tubes. Although it can be less comfortable than HyCoSy, it is still a useful way to check whether the tubes are open and if the uterus is in good shape.
Something worth noting about these two imaging tests is that they are typically performed only for specific concerns you may be experiencing. These can be irregular periods, pelvic pain, or a history of pelvic infections, or if the blood tests fail to provide adequate information. While they are not a part of the routine tests, they can still reveal problems that may otherwise go unnoticed.
Are there any additional and special fertility tests?
In a similar vein to the last two imaging tests, there are a few more tests that you only need to take if you’re facing a particular concern at the moment. For instance, if you have irregular cycles or are unsure of your ovulation regularity, your doctor may suggest progesterone testing and ovulation tracking to confirm things first. Similarly, if you’re experiencing repeated miscarriages or are facing issues getting pregnant, the doctors may take a closer look at your reproductive system with special scans or a hysteroscopy. These tests are great at finding small problems that a standard ultrasound may easily miss. If you have had repeated failures with fertility treatments or have a strong family history of fertility issues, you should also consider getting genetic or immunological tests.
Getting started with a fertility test
Look, if you are curious about your fertility and want to give these tests a try, you need a particular mindset to approach them. For one, remember that none of the results that may come afterwards are a judgment on your body or your future. After the tests, you may find that everything is normal, or you might discover issues that can be managed with treatment or monitoring. Either way, it’s a win-win situation. Secondly, these tests exist to give you more information – not only does this empower you to make decisions for your body, but you also receive the confidence needed to act on these decisions. Finally, if you do feel anxious about these tests, that’s okay too – just trust your instincts and take the first step forward. Once you do so, it will mark the beginning of your journey towards clarity, confidence, and a better future.
