A fertility test can tell you a lot about your reproductive health. For couples struggling to get pregnant, a fertility test could help you to identify any underlying health issues and get to the root of the problem. But how does fertility testing actually work? Do we really need to take these tests? Are we even eligible for it? And how much does it cost? – If you’re considering fertility testing, these are probably the kinds of questions you want answered. Today, we are here to help you learn more about it, and what the process involves – so you can get the information you need to decide if testing is right for you.
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Is fertility testing even important? How does it actually help?
First things first. Is fertility testing even important? Can it help you and your partner? The short answer is yes!
A fertility assessment consists of a comprehensive set of fertility tests designed to examine your body’s natural ability to reproduce. These tests, simply put, check for any issues that may result in failed conception. They can identify problems such as a blockage in the fallopian tubes, improper production of eggs by the ovaries, low sperm count in the male semen and other similar problems. The test results can help you make informed decisions about your best course of action. For example, it can help you decide whether you want to get help from a fertility clinic, and whether you want to explore certain treatment options such as trying assistive reproductive technologies like IUI (Intrauterine Insemination), or undergoing major fertility treatments such as IVF (In-Vitro Fertilisation).
Another way in which fertility testing can help is by providing important health insights for you and your partner. For example, certain tests such as the AMH (Anti-Mullerian Hormone) Test for women and the semen analysis test for men, can play a key role in understanding your fertility capabilities. For female partners, the AMH test aims to determine the number of eggs available in the ovarian reserve by measuring AMH hormone levels in the body. Similarly, for male partners, semen analysis is an essential part of fertility testing. As the name suggests, a semen analysis provides information about the quality of the semen produced by the male reproductive organs. The semen quality of a male is equally as important as the egg quality of a female, as poor quality semen can negatively influence the chance of conception.
Fertility and age
In addition to the above, fertility testing can also be used to assess any age-related decline in fertility levels. Many people are not aware of the impact that age has on fertility. To put things in perspective, a female is born with 1-2 million eggs in the ovarian reserve at birth, which depletes to almost 25,000 by the age 37. Men also suffer from an age-related decline (though not as steeply) as the male sperm loses both its quality and motility. For those who may not know, the motility of a sperm is its ability to swim towards the female egg for fertilisation. Studies have shown that the male sperm motility decreases by 0.8% per year, which becomes alarming for those trying for a baby in the later stages of their life.
Fertility testing can help with a number of challenges such as supporting the early identification of fertility issues, reducing the emotional stress of failed conception on both partners, and ensuring a more accurate and cost-effective approach to fertility treatment – making it an important tool for couples trying to conceive without luck.
But are the tests accurate?
Accuracy of fertility tests
While advancements in medical tech have improved the precision of instruments and brought in new testing techniques, it’s important to keep in mind that certain things can affect the accuracy of your fertility tests.
A good example of this could be the type of test you take. While at-home fertility tests may seem convenient, they may not provide the same level of accuracy as a fertility test carried out by a fertility clinic. In particular, the tests that use pin pricking to take a blood sample can have multiple limitations. For starters, getting the right amount of blood for the test sample can be challenging, leading to skewed results that may result in false readings. In addition to this, the results generated by home tests are often isolated readings and may not give you a full picture of what is really going on. In fact, you may still need help from a fertility expert at a later date, as they are better equipped to help you understand your overall health.
Another good example of this is the timing of your tests. For fertility testing, hormones such as oestrogen, progesterone and testosterone hold great importance. However, due to the constant hormonal fluctuations in our bodies, it’s important to get your fertility testing done at the correct stage in the menstrual cycle for accurate readings. If you’re not able to complete the tests in time, or if you get the testing done at the wrong stage of your cycle, this can lead to inaccurate results and affect your results.
Talking to a fertility expert straight away can help you get the most out of your fertility testing, and help you avoid anything that might affect your test accuracy. This is because fertility consultants have extensive experience managing fertility assessments and the subsequent treatment options. They will consider physical tests alongside your family history and any symptoms. An experienced fertility specialist will be able to help you overcome the challenges that people sometimes face during the fertility testing process, and will also answer any questions you have about your reproductive health. They will also be able to use the results they get from fertility tests, such as aqua scans, AMH test, and semen analysis, to give you a better understanding of your current health situation, and to recommend treatment options.
It’s now easier than ever to find clinics in London that offer fertility test for women – with more and more high quality service providers entering the market every year.
So should you undergo fertility testing?
Everyone’s fertility journey is different. For most people, the decision as to whether or not to try fertility testing often comes down to one simple thing – the time you have spent trying to conceive naturally. If you and your partner have been trying to get pregnant for more than 12 months, then visiting a fertility clinic for fertility testing could be beneficial. A fertility expert can use the test results to help you understand your fertility situation and suggest further treatment options, so that you can achieve your dream of becoming parents.
