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 […]

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.

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. […]