What is an Ovarian Reserve Test?
Ovarian reserve is essentially the number of eggs produced by a woman during each cycle.
They are signs of fertility, more eggs means greater chances of getting pregnant.
A woman's ability to get pregnant continuously drops with age, but it falls sharply in her thirties as shown in the plot below.
Changes is ovarian reserve and drop in number of eggs are directly related to rise in follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), which can be easily checked with an at-home finger prick test.
Therefore, the ovarian test measures FSH levels, during day 3-to-5 after the menstrual cycle.
It coincides with the beginning of the fertility window for a woman (which is highest around ovulation, as shown below, and happens around day 10-14).
The trend of fertility hormones during a menstrual cycle is shown in the circular plot below.
FSH, LH, and Estrogen hormones peak just before ovulation. But the number of eggs one produces during the cycle and corresponding levels of follicle stimulating hormone in that cycle can be measured right after bleeding starts.
Why you need to measure FSH levels?
For women planning to have a baby, abnormal FSH levels make it difficult to get pregnant.
Low levels might affect the eggs and may cause infertility.
Higher levels are known to cause ovarian malfunction and are also observed during early stages of menopause.
The plot of FSH levels with age shows: FSH levels and menopause go together and high levels are early signs of perimenopause.
The well known perimenopause symptoms (hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness) start a few years before the last menstrual cycle when FSH levels start rising.
By regularly checking your FSH levels in mid and late forties, it is possible for a woman to track her menopause transition.
Any hormone replacement therapy (HRT) postmenopausal transition can be planned by regularly testing.
The test also helps check for the rare conditions of Turner syndrome (abnormally high FSH levels) and Kallman's syndrome (abnormally low FSH levels).
Consistently high FSH levels combined with irregular or no menstrual cycle are indication of menopause.
Who should take the test?
Those having trouble getting pregnant, as abnormal levels interfere with conceiving
Women over 40 to assess their menopausal status
Anyone with abnormal periods as FSH might interfere in regular cycles
Those with problems with hypothalamus or pituitary glands as they may have abnormal FSH levels
Anyone suspecting cyst in ovaries as abnormal FSH levels might cause PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome)
Men suspecting fertility related problems, as FSH affects testosterone levels and might cause infertility
Teens with delayed or early puberty since youth development is closely associated with FSH levels
How to get tested for infertility or abnormal FSH levels?
The easiest low-cost way to get tested for possible infertility is by ordering an Ovarian Reserve Test kit from the convenience of your home.
Simply order the kit online, collect the sample at home, ship it for free to our world class CLIA-certified labs and receive the physician reviewed test reports within few days.
Want to Learn More?
For a detailed reference on FSH and its role in fertility and menopause, please read more at the North American Menopause Society.
Q: Can I purchase the test across US?
A: Except New York and New Jersey our FSH Test at home is available in all 48 states. State regulations in NY, NJ do not allow us to ship the tests to their residents.
Q: What does the kit contain and how do I use it?
A: The FSH lab test kit contains: (1) blood card to collect few drops of blood; (2) a pair of lancets for finger-pricking; (3) instructions on how to collect the sample; (4) a pre-paid return envelope (within US); and (5) a form requesting basic information including date and time of collection. The directions are straight forward and easy to follow.
Q: How long does it take to receive the results?
A: You will receive the fsh laboratory test kit within 3-5 business days. Once you ship the sample and it is received by our lab, you get the results within 5-7 business days.
Q: What do I expect from the report?
A: The report will list your FSH levels on a healthy range. It will be easy to understand and will provide all the necessary details about follicle stimulating hormone.
Q: Can I use my insurance to pay for the test?
A: You can use HSA (or FSA/MSA/HRA) accounts to pay for the tests since these are prescription tests (for further confirmation, please check the IRS publication#969). However, please ensure you are not going outside your specified max and min deductible limits. We do not have the capability to process the insurance claim. Insurance plans vary by individuals, therefore we can not guarantee your HSA payment will always be processed by your plan. Please talk to your insurance provider if you have any further concerns.
Q: How reliable are my results?
A: For testing your samples, we have partnered with CLIA-certified labs that are used by physicians across the US. These labs are regulated by the states, as well as Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Majority of the tests from these labs are FDA approved to ensure they meet the proper regulatory requirements. Additionally, the College of American Pathologists (CAP) requires inter-laboratory tests to ensure the ranges established by each lab do not drift or are not out of acceptable ranges. This is done by regularly testing reference samples between different labs. Finally, the labs test thousands of sample for different age groups and health conditions, and have well established reference data to compare your results against this large pool & follow strict regulations.
