Fertility varies greatly among individuals, even within the same age group. There are several objective tests that can help assess your fertility, which is beneficial for identifying potential issues early on, especially for those who might assume they have plenty of reproductive time left but may actually be facing limited fertility.

For Women:

  1. Ovulation Monitoring
    • Blood Tests and Ultrasound: A doctor can perform blood tests and ultrasounds to check if ovulation is occurring.
    • Ovarian Ultrasound: This monitors follicle development in the ovaries, assesses the number, size, and development of follicles (and whether there is a condition like polycystic ovary syndrome), and tracks hormone levels such as estrogen, progesterone, and luteinizing hormone. This helps determine the optimal time for intercourse, also known as identifying the “fertility window.”
    • Pelvic Ultrasound: This evaluates the reproductive system, including the vagina, cervix, uterus, fallopian tubes, ovaries, and other pelvic structures. It can help diagnose the causes of lower abdominal discomfort, irregular or frequent menstruation, pelvic pain, or infertility.
  2. Fallopian Tube Examination
    • There are several methods to check for blockages or damage in the fallopian tubes, including laparoscopy, X-ray hysterosalpingography, and ultrasound tubal patency tests.
  3. Ovarian Reserve Testing
    • What is Ovarian Reserve? Ovarian reserve refers to the number of remaining egg cells in the ovaries. A woman is born with a finite number of egg cells, and both the quantity and quality decrease with age. This decline accelerates after age 35 and continues until menopause, when there are no eggs left. In women with premature ovarian failure, the ovarian reserve begins to decline even before the age of 35.
    • What is Anti-Müllerian Hormone (AMH)? AMH is produced by the follicles in the ovaries that contain egg cells. The level of AMH in the blood is a good indicator of ovarian reserve and helps doctors estimate how many eggs remain and how many years of fertility might be left.
      • Women are born with 1 to 2 million egg cells, and the number naturally decreases with age and ovulation (when an egg is released during the menstrual cycle).
      • The rate of decline in egg cells varies among women. About 10% of women experience a faster-than-normal decline.
      • Unfortunately, AMH can only determine the quantity of remaining eggs; there is currently no test that can assess the quality of eggs.
      • AMH levels can be measured on any day of the menstrual cycle, and the results are not affected by the use of birth control pills.
    • When Should You Test AMH?
      • If you are having difficulty conceiving.
      • If you want to know whether your ovarian reserve is within a healthy range for your age, especially if you’re concerned about factors that could affect your ovarian reserve, such as chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or pelvic surgery.
      • If you want to estimate how many years of fertility you might have left.

For Men:

  • Semen Analysis
    • Semen analysis is crucial for assessing male fertility and provides accurate information on the following aspects:
      • Motility: The percentage of sperm that are able to move.
      • Morphology: The shape of the sperm.
      • Total Count: The total number of sperm present.
      • Motility Rate: The proportion of active sperm.
      • Anti-Sperm Antibodies: These antibodies can attach to the tail of sperm and slow their movement through cervical mucus.
      • DNA Fragmentation Index (DFI): This indicates the integrity of the sperm’s genetic material (DNA)