FERTILITY EVALUATION
BLOOD TESTS
You will have blood tests at specific times during your cycle to assess the quality of your eggs and your overall health.
The blood tests look at:
- Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), estradiol, luteinizing hormone (LH)
- Prolactin
- Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH)
- VZV IgG (to test chicken pox exposure)
- Rubella Titre
- Complete blood count
- Blood Type
- HIV, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, syphilis
Follicle-Stimulating Hormone (FSH) Test
What is a FSH test?
The FSH test measures the concentration of the follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) on day 2 to 4 of your menstrual cycle. This test shows how well your ovaries are responding to the fertility hormones released by your pituitary gland and gives us an idea of your ovarian reserve—the relative number of eggs left in your ovaries.
If you have irregular periods, the specific timing of this test does not apply. In this case, we further investigate why your periods are irregular.
What is the FSH test used for?
The results of the FSH test helps show if you are running out of eggs more quickly than expected for someone of your age and predicts how well you might respond to fertility medications or assisted reproductive therapies (ART) like superovulation, IVF, and ICSI.
Antimullerian Hormone (AMH) Test
What is an AMH Test?
The AMH is a newer blood test that can give a more accurate assessment of your ovarian reserve than the traditional test of FSH and estradiol.
What is the AMH test used for?
The AMH can help identify how the quantity of your remaining eggs compares to other women your age. Determining whether the number of eggs you have is lower, equal to, or higher than other women of your age will help us decide the most appropriate treatment plan for you.
Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH)
Many women of reproductive age have a thyroid imbalance which is often undiagnosed. This cause problems with your general health and may also lead to menstrual disturbances, infertility, and miscarriage. Thyroid treatment is simple and effective.
Prolactin
Prolactin is a hormone that is normally elevated when a woman is breastfeeding. In some cases, however, some women may have high prolactin levels even if they are not nursing. Elevated prolactin levels can interfere with ovulation and cause infertility.