Thyroid hormones are made in the thyroid gland and play a crucial role in regulating many different body functions. But what happens when these hormones get out of balance and what is a thyroid disorder? Read on to find out.  Quick facts: What are thyroid hormones? Thyroid hormones are incredibly important hormones for overall health. They play a crucial role in influencing many, many different bodily processes.   There are three thyroid hormones—TSH, T4 and T3. Each has a different function in the body which we’ll explain in a second.  TSH is made in the pituitary gland in the brain. TSH then stimulates the thyroid gland—a butterfly-shaped gland in your throat to produce T4 and T3. What are the different types of thyroid hormones? There are three main thyroid hormones: What do thyroid hormones do in the body? Thyroid hormones play an essential role in many different functions of the body, including: The thyroid hormone feedback loop Just like lots of hormones, our thyroid hormones are all linked—involved in what’s known as a feedback loop. Essentially they all depend on each other to work optimally.  Here’s how the thyroid feedback loop works: Can thyroid hormones become imbalanced? Yes. Thyroid imbalances, known as thyroid disorders, are really common and can disrupt many aspects of your health—bringing on a whole range of unwanted symptoms.  1 in 8 women are estimated to develop thyroid problems during their lifetime. Thyroid disorders are caused by either an underactive thyroid (known as hypothyroidism) or an overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism). Let’s take a look at each in turn. Hypothyroidism: an underactive thyroid Hypothyroidism is when your thyroid isn’t producing enough T4 (and sometimes T3). This means you have an abnormally high level of TSH, compared to your T4 and/or T3 levels. Because of the thyroid hormone feedback loop, when T3 and T4 are low our brains will overcompensate. This means you’ll produce more TSH to try and boost your T3 and T4 levels. This results in the classic low T3 and T4 levels paired with high TSH reading seen in hypothyroidism. Symptoms of an underactive thyroid  Hypothyroid symptoms include: Having an underactive thyroid can also increase the risk of developing long-term health problems such as cardiovascular conditions, insulin resistance, nerve damage and a swollen enlarged thyroid (goitre).  Causes of an underactive thyroid Hypothyroidism can be caused by a range of factors including age, poorly balanced diets and pre-existing medical conditions like Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS). Additionally, taking certain medications such as oestrogen-containing hormonal contraception and high doses of steroids can interfere with thyroid function.  Treatments for an underactive thyroid Hypothyroidism is typically treated with a medication called Levothyroxine that replaces T4. Cytomel, a T3 replacement, may also be required in specific cases. Lifestyle changes can also improve your thyroid function. Eating iodine-rich foods like milk and dairy products and adding more white fish, eggs, beans, pulses or red meat into your diet can help. Stress is a big factor in many hormone imbalances and conditions. So, like always, try to find a stress management method that works for you. If you smoke, consider quitting. Cutting down on your alcohol intake can help too. Hyperthyroidism: An overactive thyroid An overactive thyroid means you’re making too much T4 and T3. This triggers your brain to make less TSH—giving the characteristic low TSH paired with high T3 and T4. Symptoms of hyperthyroidism: Causes of an overactive thyroid Much like an underactive thyroid, lifestyle factors like poor diet, smoking, alcohol and stress can cause an overactive thyroid.  Genetics, autoimmune disorders like diabetes or Grave’s disease in addition to long-term problems with cardiovascular health and weight loss are associated with an overactive thyroid. Excess iodine consumption has also been linked to an overactive thyroid. Be mindful of rich sources of iodine like kelp and seaweed and take extra care to check any supplements. Treatments for an overactive thyroid Prescription medications like carbimazole can be prescribed to decrease the function of your thyroid. Beta-blockers can also provide symptom relief from a racing heart or heart palpitations. If needed, surgical intervention to partially remove your thyroid gland can also be an option. Can a thyroid imbalance affect fertility? Thyroid disorders can affect your fertility indirectly, because of the various issues they can cause to your metabolism and other hormones. One study demonstrated that 76% of women who fixed their thyroid were able to conceive between 6 weeks to 1 year afterwards.  Thyroid disorders can indirectly cause: Why should I test my thyroid hormones? If you suspect you have an issue with your thyroid or are experiencing any hormonal symptoms, testing your thyroid levels is the best place to start to help you understand whether you may be suffering from a thyroid disorder.  Most thyroid function tests will not measure T3 unless you are known to have problems with your thyroid. This is because you are unlikely to have abnormal levels of T3 without having abnormal levels of TSH and/or T4. Resources:

In this article we will walk you through what happens if your Hertility at-home hormone testing kit comes back with a haemolysed blood sample, what happens during lab tests affected by hemolysis and our top tips for taking and sending off your samples to ensure your hormone blood test results don’t come back haemolysed. Quick facts: What does it mean when a blood sample is haemolysed? A haemolysed blood sample is when the red blood cells in the sample you provided have burst or broken down.  This process is called haemolysis—the red blood cells rupture and spill their contents, mainly haemoglobin (a protein that carries oxygen around your body) into their surrounding serum or plasma.  With any type of blood collection, haemolysed blood samples can happen. They are very common—in fact, they are actually the number one cause of rejected samples by labs, second only to insufficient sample size (1). Haemolysed samples are unable to be tested and labs will reject and request new samples. This is because analytes that are tested for in the sample will potentially have become diluted by haemolysis and an accurate result will not be able to be obtained. We know it can be frustrating to hear that your sample couldn’t be analysed—especially if you’re someone who doesn’t like having blood taken.  What causes a haemolysed blood sample? Haemolysis can happen with any form of blood collection, whether it’s a finger prick sample like the one used in our at-home Hormone & Fertility Test or a traditional venous blood drawn by a nurse or doctor. It can also happen regardless of where the sample was taken.  Samples can become haemolysed for a number of different reasons, but here are some common ones we’ve found with our tests. Haemolysed blood could be caused by: Can my sample be analysed if it’s haemolysed? Unfortunately, no. Because the red blood cells have broken down, the hormones within the sample can’t be analysed.  We know this can be really disappointing and frustrating. So, if your sample has come back haemolysed, we will send you a second test kit, free of charge, for you to retake your sample.  All you need to do is log in to your health hub, navigate to your tests and click on the notification we’ve sent you. We will have already credited your account with a free test, so all you need to do is check out.  Top tips for taking your sample Sometimes haemolysis can happen because of the way your blood sample was collected or packaged. We’ve put together a few tips and tricks to help you get your sample to us safe and sound. Top tips for preventing hemolysis when taking your blood sample: 1. Slow it right down Take your time when taking your sample, don’t rush through or squeeze your finger really hard. Use gentle downward strokes to encourage blood flow. 2. Make sure your hands are warm Warm hands = more blood circulation. This means it will be easier to draw your sample. Submerge your hand in warm water for a couple of minutes before collecting your sample to get that blood pumping all the way to your fingers. 3. Use your ring finger This one usually works the best, giving the biggest drops. Make sure you prick the fleshy part. 4. Always wipe away the first droplet Use a tissue or sterilised wet wipe to wipe the first drop clean, before aiming the rest of your drops into your collection tube. 5. Pierce a second finger if the blood stops flowing on the first Don’t overdo it on the first finger, if the blood flow stops, start fresh on a new finger. 6. Use the cartwheel method Take your arm that is not being used for the sample (we don’t want an American psycho situation up the walls) and swing in a cartwheel motion for about a minute. Don’t ask why, but it works. 7. Get your blood pumping with some star jumps Bring back some P.E class nostalgia star jump it out for a minute or so before you take your sample. This will get your blood flowing and your fingers warm.  8. Make sure you’re hydrated Everyone is more dehydrated than usual when first waking up which can make circulation slower and collecting your sample more difficult. Stay hydrated the day before you’re due to collect your sample and drink a couple of glasses of water roughly half an hour beforehand.  Top tips for preventing hemolysis when packing your blood sample 1. Do not shake your tube after collecting your sample Place your tube carefully back into your kit box, into the space indicated. This will keep it wedged safely in place during transit. 2. Post your sample on the same day it was collected Ideally you’ll do your test first thing in the morning. Then, keep it at room temperature and post it to your nearest postbox as close to the collection time as you can. This will reduce the time it’s outside for, potentially getting hot in the sun or too cold. 3. Use a priority postbox if you can These are collected everyday, you can find your nearest one on the Royal Mail website.  4. Check our social channels for lab closures and postal service delays We regularly post or email reminders about upcoming lab closures, postal strikes and delays due to public holidays on our stories, make sure you’re following us and check our socials before doing your test. FAQs How will I know if my sample arrives haemolysed? Rest assured, we will always contact you directly if your sample arrives haemolysed. One of our customer service team will be in touch.  Will I get another test free of charge if my sample is haemolysed? Our labs will inform us, we will contact you to let you know and will offer a second kit free of charge to redo your test Do I have to wait until day 3 of my cycle before I can test again? Unless you’re on hormonal contraception, unfortunately yes, you will have to wait until […]

You can test some of your hormones with Hertility regardless of the type of birth control you’re using. In this article, we run through the differences between hormonal and non-hormonal birth control and which hormones you can test with us depending on the type you’re using.  Quick facts: Different types of birth control Despite most of us only being able to reel off a handful, there are actually many different types of birth control, or contraception. These include both hormonal and non-hormonal options, plus, long-term and short-term methods. Whatever method of contraception works best for you is personal and will depend on your goals, your body and if you choose to use hormonal contraception, your hormones too.  So, from condoms to coils, let’s take a look at the different types of birth control, how they work, and how each will affect a hormone and fertility test. What is hormonal contraception? Hormonal contraception uses synthetic hormones, which are basically (wo)man-made versions of our natural hormones, to either prevent us from ovulating and/or to bring about bodily changes that prevent pregnancy. Types of hormonal contraception include: How does hormonal contraception work? To understand how hormonal contraceptives work (and how this might affect your test), it’s important to first understand exactly how your hormones control your menstrual cycle and overall fertility. Your menstrual cycle hormones, including oestrogen, progesterone, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinising hormone (LH) and testosterone, all work together to ensure that each month you ovulate a healthy, mature egg from one of your ovaries.  If any of these hormone levels are altered, disrupted or suppressed, your overall menstrual cycle and ovulation can be affected—impacting your fertility and ability to conceive.  Hormonal contraceptives use either a combination of synthetic oestrogen and synthetic progesterone (called progestin), or simply just progestin (depending on the type) to alter the balance of your menstrual hormones.  This brings about a series of bodily changes that prevent pregnancy, including: Hormonal contraception can also be used to help relieve hormonal symptoms, like acne, and those related to your menstrual cycle, like heavy menstrual bleeding. Can I test my hormones if I’m on hormonal contraception? Technically, yes you can—but because your natural hormone levels will be altered due to the synthetic hormones in your system, you won’t be able to get an accurate result of your natural menstrual cycle hormone levels, including your FSH, LH, or oestradiol (E2). The good news is, with Hertility, even if you’re on hormonal contraception, we can still test you for Anti-Müllerian Hormone (AMH) and your thyroid hormones—Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) and Free Thyroxine (FT4).  Taking a Hertility Hormone & Fertility Test to test your AMH will give you insight into how many eggs you’ve got left (your ovarian reserve), giving you a good idea of your current fertility. Hormonal contraception can temporarily impact AMH levels, to determine your ovarian reserve more accurately. We would recommend retesting your AMH with your cycling hormones (FSH, oestradiol and LH) at least 3 months after coming off your form of contraception. Your thyroid hormone levels are a good indicator of your general hormone health and remain unaffected by taking any hormonal contraception.  If you’re using a long-term form of hormone contraception, such as the contraceptive injection (known as Depo Provera), you might have to wait up to 12 months for your menstrual cycle hormones to regulate and get back to their natural levels, so we can get an accurate result. What is non-hormonal contraception? These are your contraceptive types that don’t contain any synthetic hormones, and won’t alter your natural hormone levels if you use them.  Types of non-hormonal contraception include: How does non-hormonal contraception work? Non-hormonal contraceptives prevent pregnancy through several different methods, the difference being they tend to use just one method, rather than a combination, like in hormonal contraception. These include:  These include: Can I test my hormones if I’m on non-hormonal contraception? Yes, you’re good to go! Non-hormonal contraception does not alter any of your natural hormone levels, so with our Hormone and Fertility Test you can test all of your menstrual cycle hormones, AMH and thyroid hormones when you’re using non-hormonal contraception. Do I need a hormone test? Testing your hormones and fertility can give you important insights into both your overall and reproductive health.  Whether you’re experiencing possible hormonal symptoms, or planning ahead for your future family forming options—testing can help give you clarity into what’s going on inside your body.  Our At-home Hormone & Fertility Test is personalised to you and based on your unique biometrics, medical history, cycle and symptoms. Our test will screen you for up to 18 reproductive health conditions and give you insights into your ovarian reserve. This can help you to identify any potential underlying health conditions or hormonal imbalances that could affect your chances of conceiving. We recommend regular testing—once a year, or every six months if you’re above 35 or have an underlying condition that might affect fertility. Because our hormones are constantly changing, regular testing helps to ensure you’re tracking any changes over time. This can help you to better manage any symptoms and measure the success of any lifestyle changes or medication if you need to. So, whether you’re curious about your health, planning for future children or trying to conceive, regular hormone testing with our At-Home Hormone & Fertility Tests could be an essential step toward understanding your reproductive health. If you’re on contraception, hormonal or non-hormonal, and want to test your hormones and fertility, you can get started today by taking our online health assessment today. References:

Prolactin has several important functions in the body. But what exactly does prolactin do and how do we know if our levels have become imbalanced? In this article, we’ll dive into exactly what prolactin is, what its functions are in the body, discuss imbalances in its levels and the importance of testing prolactin levels for reproductive and overall health. Quick facts: What is prolactin? Prolactin is a hormone that encourages breast growth and milk production during and after pregnancy, as well as maintaining our metabolism, regulating our stress response, maintaining a functioning immune system and in the development of our reproductive organs.  Similarly to follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinising hormone (LH) it is secreted by the anterior pituitary gland, located at the base of the brain. From there, it’s released into the bloodstream where it travels around the body to carry out its functions.  Prolactin interacts with FSH and LH, and other cycle hormones, in a complex negative feedback loop. After ovulation prolactin production increases to prepare the body for a potential pregnancy. Prolactin’s role in breastfeeding In pregnant women, prolactin stimulates milk production in the mammary glands of the breasts—allowing for the secretion of breast milk. After birth, there is a postnatal rise in prolactin, which gets things started—but this isn’t enough to maintain breast milk development. When a baby suckles, prolactin levels in the blood increase in response, which stimulates the production of more milk. Prolactin levels spike around 30 minutes after the start of the feed, so this positive feedback effect is important for ensuring there is enough milk for the next feed.  This can also be stimulated by breast pumping, if you choose not to, or are unable to breastfeed. Prolactin levels Just like all of our hormones, from time to time, our prolactin levels can get off balance. This can cause a whole range of different symptoms and effects throughout the body, including affecting our thyroid hormones, stress hormones, menstrual cycles and ovulation. What are normal prolactin levels? Reference ranges for what is a normal prolactin level will be specific to the lab that is testing your sample.  Higher prolactin levels are usually present in those assigned-female-at-birth than those assigned-male-at-birth. In general, prolactin levels are expected to be less than 25 μg/L in those assigned-female-at-birth, who are not pregnant or breastfeeding. High prolactin levels Too much prolactin can stop our brains from producing FSH and LH—two key hormones involved in regulating our menstrual cycles and bringing about ovulation.  If FSH and LH are affected, ovulation can stop leading to the loss of periods, which is called amenorrhoea. No ovulation means no chance of a pregnancy, and therefore big issues for our fertility. Disruption to our menstrual cycle can also cause knock-on effects on our oestrogen levels, causing oestrogen deficiency. Some of the most common symptoms of high prolactin levels to look out for are milky white discharge from the nipples when not breastfeeding (galactorrhea), disturbances to the menstrual cycle, visual disturbances, headaches and symptoms of oestrogen deficiency. High prolactin levels can be caused by a variety of reasons, including imbalances in our thyroid and stress hormones. Additionally, a growth or tumour present in our pituitary glands, called a prolactinoma, can also cause persistent or increasing prolactin levels. Symptoms of high prolactin levels can include: Note: If you are experiencing any form of nipple discharge when not breastfeeding, get this checked by a physician or GP as it can be a symptom of breast cancer. Symptoms of high prolactin levels after menopause Although high prolactin levels are not common in those postmenopausal, it can occur. Excess prolactin after menopause often causes hyperthyroidism, when the body doesn’t make enough thyroid hormone. Symptoms can include: How to lower prolactin levels If you’re wondering how to reduce prolactin levels, this is very much dependent on the cause of your excess prolactin levels.  Your doctor may prescribe you medications like bromocriptine or cabergoline to lower your prolactin secretion. Surgery may also be recommended as the best treatment option for you.  Persistently high prolactin that has been caused by chronic stress, over-exercising or poor sleep may be lowered by lifestyle modifications. Low prolactin levels On the flip side, low prolactin levels, called hyperprolactinemia, is rare—and outside of pregnancy, baseline or ‘normal’ prolactin levels are usually low. Sometimes there aren’t any obvious symptoms of low prolactin levels, other than not being able to produce or release much breast milk after giving birth. Breastfeeding can increase our prolactin levels naturally—as the more we stimulate the nipples, more prolactin is produced.  Most people with low prolactin levels don’t have any specific medical issues, although there is preliminary evidence that suggests they might have reduced immune response to some infections and it could indicate that the pituitary gland isn’t functioning properly. Why should we test our prolactin levels? Like all of our reproductive hormones, it’s good to check in with prolactin regularly, especially if we’re trying to conceive or having any problems with our menstrual cycles or experiencing hormonal symptoms.  Testing our prolactin levels with a prolactin blood test can help us to determine if there are any hormonal issues affecting our fertility or menstrual cycle, or investigate any symptoms of prolactinoma. With a Hertility Hormone and Fertility test, we can test your prolactin levels alongside your Anti müllerian hormone (AMH), thyroid hormones and cycling hormones (FSH, LH and oestrogen) to help you gain a full insight into your hormonal health and fertility. If you’ve already done a test and received an abnormal prolactin result, you can book an appointment with one of our Private Gynaecologists specialising in hormone and fertility concerns to discuss your results and get a personalised care plan. Appointments are available daily, with no GP referral required. Prolactin FAQs Can I get an FSH, LH, Prolactin test all in one? Luckily, you’re in exactly the right place. With our Hormone and Fertility test we will test you for up to 10 reproductive hormones, including your FSH, LH, prolactin and more.  […]

Fertility testing is much more common than it used to be. But with the growth in the at-home fertility testing market, how do you know which one is best? In this article, we explain why Hertility is a cut above the other at-home tests available.   Quick facts: What at-home testing can tell you Whilst there is no way to 100% definitively determine how fertile you are, testing our hormones can give us key insights into the functioning of our reproductive health and ovarian reserve (egg count).   There are a whole range of different hormones that can work hard to regulate the menstrual cycle and ovulation. If just one becomes imbalanced, it can throw the whole system off.  At Hertility, we’ve spent years building the most accurate diagnostic tool in female health and our tests can give indicative diagnoses within just 10 days of testing.  We don’t believe in doing things in halves—so unlike a lot of other at-home tests on the market, we provide full end-to-end care. Here’s what to expect with each step of our test.  Online Health Assessment  Your test starts with an Online Health Assessment. It takes around 5 minutes to complete and is essentially everything you would cover in an initial private gynaecologist appointment before being referred for a hormone test.  Up to 60 questions cover your medical history, period and cycle, symptoms and individual biomarkers. Each question has been carefully selected to build a 360-degree view of your health and fertility.  Our proprietary algorithm will then determine your risk factors, using 835,000 data variables, for various conditions or hormone imbalances. You’ll then be recommended a personalised hormone panel for your test, based on the analysis of your Online Health Assessment results.  Some other at-home tests don’t include this crucial step and will simply test you for a generic hormone panel. Which hormones do Hertility test? Depending on the outcome of your recommended panel, your test could include the following hormones:  Some fertility tests will only look at E2, LH, FSH and testosterone. These are all very useful in determining how your menstrual cycle is working, but without looking at the full picture and the interplay between different hormones, you’ll only be able to get half the picture.  That’s why we take a comprehensive, whole-body approach when it comes to your hormones and fertility.  You’ll receive your at-home test kit with your personalised panel 3-5 days after you place your order. Our kits are easy-to-use with detailed instructions on each step with links to video instructions. Anti-Müllerian Hormone (AMH) A key part of any fertility test is measuring the levels of a hormone called Anti-Müllerian Hormone or AMH. Produced by the cells in your developing eggs, AMH can be used as a really powerful indicator of how many eggs you have left.  Studies comparing the levels of AMH with the number of eggs seen on a pelvic ultrasound scan (when done on the same day of your cycle) have shown AMH to be a reliable way to gauge egg count.  After peaking in your 20’s, AMH levels decline, dropping more rapidly after your mid-30s. However, this rate of decline differs from person to person so it’s important to test regularly to understand what this rate of decline looks like for you.  Based on over 10 years of clinical research, AMH is established as the single most important marker of ovarian reserve and forms a core part of our Hormone & Fertility test. AMH will always feature in your hormone panel, however, it’s important to know that if you’re currently taking hormonal contraception this can temporarily suppress your AMH. Although you can still test AMH while on contraception and get valuable insights, we recommend waiting three months after coming off contraception to give the most accurate results.  Furthermore, research has found that AMH has the potential to be used as an indicator of when someone will go through menopause, a predictor of fertility treatment success and can be used when diagnosing reproductive health conditions such as PCOS & POI.   A fertility test isn’t all about AMH. AMH alone cannot give you the entire picture, it’s just one piece of the puzzle. So, when looking at your fertility, and overall reproductive health, it’s crucial to take a whole-body approach.  Results and follow-up doctor-written report Just 10 days after sending your test kit back to us, you’ll be able to access your hormone results in your online health hub. Each hormone result comes with an explanation, so you can easily understand what your result means.  Along with your results, you’ll receive a doctor-written report that will consider your Online Health Assessment results alongside your blood work. Your dedicated doctor will outline a care plan based on any symptoms you might be experiencing and will recommend any onward care or treatments should you need them. The takeaway At Hertility, we care deeply about your health and well-being. Our mission is to arm women with the answers they need about their reproductive health so that they can make informed decisions about their futures. Our Online Health Assessment and at-home test kits have been rigorously quality tested and are CQC-approved, MHRA-regulated and CE-marked. Start your Health Assessment here.

Anti-Müllerian Hormone (AMH) is a really important hormone for fertility. It can give insight into your ovarian reserve and how many eggs you have left. But what is a good AMH level for your age? Here’s everything you need to know about AMH levels.  Quick facts: What is AMH? Anti-Müllerian Hormone (AMH) is an incredibly important hormone when it comes to fertility and overall reproductive health.  AMH is made by the small sacs, called follicles, in your ovaries. These follicles house your eggs. Because of this close relationship with your eggs, testing your AMH levels can therefore give you an insight into your ovarian reserve, or how many eggs you have at the time of testing.  We are all born with all of the eggs we’ll ever have. As we age, both our egg quality and quantity declines. This is due to both the natural ageing process and eggs being lost with each menstrual cycle. This happens right up until menopause when all your eggs are gone. As our egg count diminishes, generally so do our AMH levels, unless we have an underlying condition or lifestyle factor which is affecting our AMH levels (like PCOS).  What is a normal AMH level for my age? AMH levels will steadily decrease year after year from your mid-20s onwards. This occurs in tandem with your ovarian reserve declining.  After your mid-30s, AMH decline becomes much more rapid. It completely drops off as you near menopause (usually between 45 and 55 years old).  Although the overall levels of AMH by age is a general downward trend, each person has an individual rate of decline depending on genetics, lifestyle, medication and underlying conditions. What is a good AMH level? The higher your AMH the better, right? Well… not exactly. Like all of our hormones, too much or too little can indicate problems.  High AMH levels In general, higher AMH levels indicate a larger number of ovarian follicles and therefore a larger ovarian reserve.  However, some underlying reproductive health conditions like polycystic ovarian syndrome PCOS are associated with high AMH levels too. PCOS can cause hormonal imbalances which can negatively impact your fertility. Symptoms of high AMH levels Generally, high AMH levels don’t have any specific symptoms. But if you’re experiencing any symptoms that indicate a possible problem with your cycle you should test your hormones including AMH levels to investigate the possibility of PCOS. These symptoms could be things like irregular or no periods, or any other PCOS symptoms like acne, excessive body or facial hair, hair thinning or loss.  Low AMH levels On the flip side, low AMH levels can indicate lower numbers of remaining follicles and therefore, a smaller ovarian reserve.  Very low AMH levels are often seen in premature ovarian insufficiency (POI), which is a condition where menopause occurs before the age of 40 or even when you are going to experience menopause. Ovarian surgery can also carry a risk of low AMH levels afterwards. Some lifestyle factors have also been linked to low AMH levels – smoking, obesity, and poor diet and nutrition—specifically insufficient Vitamin D levels.  How to increase AMH levels? Unfortunately, you can’t stop your AMH from declining with age. That being said, there are some lifestyle and diet changes that can improve your fertility.  Monitoring your AMH levels with an at-home blood test if you have low AMH levels and are actively trying to conceive, or wanting to do so soon is a good idea to understand your rate of decline. Additionally, if you’re worried about your future fertility but not ready to have kids yet, you may want to consider egg freezing. Or, if you have low AMH levels and are struggling with conceiving, IVF treatment could be a good option for you.  If you’re concerned about your AMH levels, you can speak to our Private Gynaecologists at any time. Our Doctors can help you with a care plan that’s right for you and your body.  Do AMH levels fluctuate? Unlike your menstrual hormones which are cyclical, meaning their levels fluctuate throughout the month, your AMH levels stay relatively stable throughout your menstrual cycle. How do I know if I have normal AMH levels?  Testing your hormones is the only way to definitively know if your AMH levels are within the normal range for your age.  Doing an AMH blood test can give you an accurate insight into your current AMH levels, and give you an insight into your reproductive health because it is reflective of your ovarian reserve (egg count). Your AMH levels can also be used as an indication of whether you have polycystic ovaries, however, it can not currently be used to diagnose PCOS based on current guidelines. Understanding your AMH levels and ovarian reserve can also help to determine if you would be suitable for certain fertility treatments like IVF or egg freezing.  During fertility treatment, AMH levels are often tested to help determine the doses of medication and to predict the outcomes of the egg collection process.  Investigation of AMH levels is often done in combination with an Antral follicle count (AFC), which is an internal ultrasound scan where the number of small follicles seen on the ovary is counted. What is a good AMH level to get pregnant or to have IVF? Successfully getting pregnant is not entirely dependent on your AMH levels and ovarian reserve. Other factors can affect fertility such as: There is, therefore, no evidence of a good AMH level to increase the likelihood of pregnancy.  The success of IVF treatment is also dependent on many different factors. However, there is evidence that an AMH level lower than 5.4 pmol/L may have a poorer response to fertility medications. This is why some NHS IVF clinics will not accept patients who have an AMH level lower than this threshold.   Resources:

Hormones help to regulate almost all of the body’s processes, including reproductive health and fertility. Testing your hormones regularly can give you insights into your overall health and help you track changes in your menstrual cycle and fertility over time. Here we’ve broken down which hormones you should test and why.  Quick facts: What are hormones? Put simply, hormones are small chemical messengers that travel through the blood to different parts of your body. They help control many different functions from growth and development to metabolism, the menstrual cycles, fertility and mood, just to name a few. Hormones are made by special cells in the endocrine system. Some of the major endocrine glands are: Why are sex hormones important? Sex hormones are a group of hormones that help to regulate the female and male reproductive organs and fertility. They are important not only for reproductive health but for overall health too—often having multiple functions within the body.  The main hormones involved in the female reproductive system are:  Thyroid hormones can also impact your levels of reproductive hormones. Why do you need to test your hormones? Hormones are often involved in complex feedback loops with one another. This means if one hormone gets off balance, it can often disrupt the whole system and bring about multiple, often overlapping symptoms.  Our hormones are also changing constantly, as we age and in response to things like lifestyle factors, medications or external stresses. A change in your hormone levels could be the reason you’re feeling sluggish or slightly emotional, explain your irregular periods or why you’re struggling to get pregnant. Our hormone levels can give us insight into both our overall reproductive health, show our risk factors for certain conditions, explain any unwanted symptoms, or indicate the health of our ovarian reserve and fertility.  Which hormones should I test? Which hormones you need to test and monitor will depend on your individual medical history, symptoms, biometrics and fertility goals. Luckily, our Online Health Assessment is built on a proprietary algorithm that does the leg work for you, recommending you hormone panel personalised to you.  Let’s take a look at each of the main female sex hormones and what testing them could tell you.  Follicle-stimulating hormone One of the main hormones that regulate the menstrual cycle and fertility is follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). Its main job is to stimulate your ovaries each month to mature a set of follicles (the sacs that house the immature eggs) into mature eggs.  If FSH gets out of balance, ovulation can be affected, negatively impacting fertility and causing irregular cycles.  FSH levels increase with age. High FSH is usually an indication that ovarian reserver is declining and more FSH is needed to encourage your eggs to grow. This is why monitoring FSH can help you understand the health of your ovaries.  FSH levels will slowly increase with age as your ovarian reserve declines. When your ovarian reserve is finally depleted (and menopause occurs), FSH levels become substantially elevated. This is why FSH is used as an indicator of menopause.  Persistently high FSH levels in someone younger than 40, along with irregular periods and vasomotor symptoms, could indicate premature ovarian insufficiency (POI). This is when someone experiences menopause before the age of 40. FSH levels are usually not recommended as an indicator of menopause beyond the age of 45. Oestrogen (Oestradiol) Oestrogen is an important hormone for the growth and maturation of eggs and the thickening of the uterus lining each cycle. It’s also incredibly important for overall health, regulating bone, heart, skin and hair health, as well as mood.  Oestrogen is made by the ovaries, so monitoring oestrogen levels gives a good indication of how well your ovaries, and menstrual cycle in general, are functioning. Oestrogen levels will fluctuate and eventually significantly drop when your ovarian reserve becomes depleted and menopause occurs. Low oestrogen levels are therefore linked with many symptoms of menopause, such as dry skin and hair, vaginal dryness, hot flushes, brain fog, night sweats, difficulty falling asleep and fatigue.  Luteinising hormone (LH) LH is the hormone responsible for triggering ovulation, which is the release of the mature egg from an ovary each month.  If your LH levels are too low or too high, it can interfere with ovulation. High LH levels are often seen in those with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), which can cause irregular ovulation and issues with periods and fertility. Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) Anti-Müllerian Hormone (AMH)  is a super important hormone for fertility and overall reproductive health. AMH is made by the small sacs, called follicles, in your ovaries. These follicles house your eggs.  Since AMH is made by the follicles, your AMH levels can therefore give you an insight into your ovarian reserve, or how many eggs you have at the time of testing.  We were all born with all of the eggs we’ll ever have, and as we age, both our egg quality and quantity decline. Generally, our AMH levels will decline with age as our egg count diminishes, unless we have an underlying condition or lifestyle factor which is affecting our AMH levels (like PCOS).  High AMH levels can be an indicator of polycystic ovaries and can be used to diagnose PCOS based on recently updated clinical guidelines. On the other hand, low AMH along with high FSH and low oestrogen is usually an indicator of low ovarian reserve.  AMH is often also used to predict someone’s chances of success during fertility treatment, such as egg freezing and IVF. However, it’s important to remember that AMH can only tell you about the quantity, and not the quality, of your eggs. Testosterone Testosterone can be converted to produce the wonder hormone oestrogen and is also associated with libido, maintaining muscle mass, vaginal health, breast health and bone health.  High levels of testosterone can cause symptoms such as excess body and facial hair, acne, and irregular or absent periods. These symptoms are often seen in women with PCOS which can cause high testosterone. […]