What is a fertility test?

Fertility tests are tests you take to find out if or how easily you can get pregnant. Different fertility tests check your fertility in different ways, so it’s important to make sure you get the right test for yourself.

If you’re concerned whether you’re still ovulating or not, a progesterone test is the best way to find out - you should take this 7 days before starting your next period. This type of test is easier to take if you have regular periods, so you can time exactly when to take it.

If you need to find out about your remaining egg supply (ovarian reserve) or the level of AMH in your blood, you can take an AMH (anti-mullerian hormone) test. This is a helpful test if you are thinking about freezing your eggs for the future or you’re starting IVF treatment. You can take this test at any point in your cycle.

PCOS tests can be used if you have irregular periods and want to find out if you have polycystic ovary syndrome and to check your testosterone levels, SHBG (sex hormone-binding globulin) levels and free androgen index (FAI). PCOS is a condition that can make it more challenging to get pregnant naturally, so if you find out you do have it, you can make more informed decisions about how you may want to get pregnant in the future.

You can also take a pituitary hormones test to tell you how much TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone), FSH (follicle stimulating hormone), and prolactin your body is making. By finding these out, you can identify if other issues may be affecting your fertility.

Back to top

How does fertility testing work?

Fertility testing checks your body for different hormones and substances that it produces during the menstrual cycle. 

You do this by collecting a small blood sample with a finger prick test, which you can do easily from home. Your blood sample is then analysed at a laboratory to find out how much of the substance or hormone was in your body at the time of taking your tests.

How accurate your fertility test is may depend on when you're taking it during your menstrual cycle. For example, the progesterone and pituitary tests must be taken on certain days of your cycle to be more accurate, so you must make sure you're following your doctor's guidance on when to do so. The PCOS and AMH can both be taken at any time during your cycle. All of these tests can be taken more than once if you need to.

A Superdrug Online Doctor will always review your test results from the laboratory before sending them to you and explaining what they mean for your fertility. They will also be on hand to provide any additional advice if you need it.

This process can take a few days, but we will email you to let you know as soon as your results are available in your patient account.

About progesterone tests

The progesterone blood test (sometimes called a mid-luteal progesterone test or a 21-day progesterone test) measures your progesterone levels. 

Progesterone is a hormone made by the developing eggs inside your ovaries. It can be measured to see if you are ovulating properly. This is one way to check your fertility.

Our progesterone test is a simple pin-prick test that requires you to collect a blood sample from the comfort of your home. You should take this test in the mid-luteal phase of your menstrual cycle (7 days before your next expected period starts) when your progesterone levels are at their highest. 

If you don’t have regular periods, you can still test your progesterone levels to see if you’re ovulating. However, you may need to repeat this test weekly to see any changes in your results. Taking the contraceptive pill can also affect your results, so we’d recommend stopping the contraceptive pill and taking this test after your next few cycles, while you are not on it.

About anti-mullerian hormone (AMH) tests

An anti-mullerian hormone (AMH) test is a finger-prick blood test that measures how much AMH you have in your blood. You can take this test at any point of your cycle, as your AMH levels don't change much during your cycle. 

AMH stands for anti-Mullerian hormone, a protein produced in your ovaries. The amount of AMH in your blood is proportional to the number of eggs your ovaries have. This is a good way of checking your current fertility levels.

An AMH test cannot tell you the quality of the follicles in your ovaries or how quickly you are losing them.

About pituitary hormones tests

This test checks your follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), and prolactin levels. These are all produced by the pituitary gland. These can show signs of thyroid disease, premature ovarian failure, or too much prolactin, all of which can affect your fertility. 

This simple finger prick blood test you can take quickly and easily at home will give you a clearer picture of aspects of your fertility. You should take this between days 2 and 4 of your cycle.

About polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) tests

This test is recommended for people who have irregular periods and have not had a PCOS test before.

This test looks at your levels of testosterone and sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG), which are used to calculate your free androgen index (FAI). Your FAI can be used to help diagnose polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a condition that causes your ovaries to create more follicles than necessary. These follicles are underdeveloped and do not always release an egg needed for fertilisation and pregnancy. 

To be diagnosed with PCOS, you have must have at least 2 of the below:

• Infrequent or no periods
• Either a raised FAI or male pattern hair distribution
• An ultrasound scan that shows polycystic ovaries

Back to top

How do I know if I’m infertile?

If you have been trying to have a baby for more than 1 year and you’ve not been able to get pregnant, there is a chance you may be infertile. For women, it is more difficult to get pregnant naturally as they get older. Commons signs of female infertility include: 

• Not having a period for a long time
• Entering menopause early
• Certain health conditions, like PCOS

You might also want to take a fertility test if you:

• are over 35 years old and have been trying to get pregnant for over 6 months
• are 34 or under and have been trying to get pregnant for over 1 year
• have recently had cancer treatment
• have found it difficult to get pregnant in the past
• have irregular periods
• take other medicines that may affect fertility
• smoke 
• drink a lot of alcohol
• are stressed
• are overweight

We recommend having sex every 2 to 3 days to maximise your chances of getting pregnant. If sex is too painful or you can’t have sex this often, you should speak to your doctor to see if you need a sexual health check.

Back to top

What tests and treatment options are available for infertility?

Types of fertility tests

Blood tests you can take to check your fertility at home include:

• progesterone test
• anti-mullerian hormone (AMH) test
• pituitary hormones test
• polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) test

We can provide these quickly and easily for you.

Other tests available for infertility include:

• getting a swab test to check if you have an infection, such as chlamydia or gonorrhoea
• imaging scans such as an ultrasound or MRI to look for pelvic inflammatory disease, fibroids, endometriosis, or tumours on your ovaries.
• Your doctor may also check your pelvic area for any signs of swelling (inflammation), lumps or pain.

Further testing

There are further testing options to find the cause of infertility which can include testing a male partner. You can request a sperm sample analysis which will check the quality of your partner's sperm to make sure they are fertile. Superdrug Online Doctor does not currently provide male fertility testing.

You may also want to get a full health check for both you and your partner to see if there are some lifestyle changes you can make to improve your chances of getting pregnant. 

Doctors can also check your blood pressure, cholesterol levels and body weight, as well as other hormone and vitamin tests to make sure your body is healthy giving you the best chance of getting pregnant. 

Making an appointment with a doctor who is a fertility specialist is another option to find out more about how to improve your chances of getting pregnant

Assisted conception

Assisted conception is a fertility treatment used to help you get pregnant when you have problems with egg quality, releasing eggs or egg fertilisation.

Below are some examples of assisted conception:

• intrauterine insemination (IUI): This is when you have sperm put in your womb without having sex in order to fertilise an egg.
• in vitro fertilisation (IVF): This is where you are given certain types of medications that help you to release an egg, and then your eggs are extracted from your ovaries before being fertilised with sperm outside of your body. Once fertilised it is then implanted into your womb.
• donor egg or sperm: This is when a different person provides the egg or the sperm so you can get pregnant.
• surrogate mother: This involves another person carrying your baby for you who would also give birth to the baby.

Back to top

How effective is fertility treatment?

Fertility treatment is most effective if you:

• are younger than 35 years old
• have high-quality eggs
• have eggs that were frozen at an earlier point in your life or a donor egg from a younger person.
• have more eggs
• respond to the medicines they use during the treatment

Different aspects of your lifestyle can also affect how effective fertility treatment is, so you should try to:

• stop smoking
• avoid drinking alcohol
• stay physically fit by exercising regularly
• eat well and maintain a healthy weight
• lose weight if you need to

Your chances of effective fertility treatment are lower if you:

• are older than 42
• have medical conditions that can affect a fertilised egg from implanting and growing
• can not carry a developing baby because your body can not produce the right natural hormones or substances to support the pregnancy
• have recently had chemotherapy or take medicines that can affect getting pregnant

Back to top

What causes female infertility?

The leading causes of female infertility include:

• PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome)
• having a low body weight or low body fat percentage
• having a high body weight or high body fat percentage
• your pituitary gland produces too much prolactin
• medication that may affect your hormone levels
• pelvic inflammatory disease. This occurs when your uterus or fallopian tubes become infected or are damaged by sexually transmitted infections (STIs) like chlamydia or gonorrhoea
• not releasing an egg regularly (every month)
• damage to any part of your reproductive organs
• low quality egg cells
• surgery to remove your uterus or ovaries (like a hysterectomy) 
• chemotherapy or radiotherapy
• having a uterus that is too small or misshapen
• having a very narrow cervix that is too difficult for sperm to get through to fertilise an egg
• growths caused by endometriosis, polyps or fibroids that can affect an egg from being fertilised or affect an egg implanting
• a problem with your immune system that causes damage to your uterus, ovaries, pituitary gland or hypothalamus

Back to top

How can I naturally boost my fertility?

To boost your fertility, you can try:

• eating a healthy diet
• exercising regularly. This should be around 5 times per week for at least 30 minutes each time
• getting more sleep, around 8 hours a day
• reducing your stress levels
• quitting smoking
• losing or gaining weight if you need to
• having sex in the middle of your cycle (around 12 days since the first day of your period) without using contraception.
• drinking less alcohol and staying within the recommended intake guidelines
• checking with your doctor if any medicines you take or any treatments you’re having may affect your chances of getting pregnant
• making sure you take 400 micrograms of folic acid (vitamin B9) every day and continue to take it even after you get pregnant. Taking folic acid helps your baby develop a healthy nervous system and prevents a harmful condition called spina bifida.

You may need to take more than 400 micrograms (up to 5mg) per day of folic acid depending on:

• your current health situation
• your day to day diet
• if you take certain medications
• your BMI

If you don’t know how much folic acid you should take, start by taking 400 micrograms every day and speak to your doctor as soon as possible to find out if you should take more.

Back to top