Where to Begin...

No one talks about fertility until they are actively trying to conceive, but it's important to figure out your baseline ahead of time, so you can decide whether you want to look into egg freezing.

These hormone tests can indicate early menopause, low ovarian reserve, PCOS, or other health conditions that may effect fertility.

What they test for and what they mean:

1. AMH (Anti-Müllerian Hormone): is a hormone secreted by the ovarian follicles, so the higher your level, the more follicles (potential eggs) you have. Your AMH level declines with age. A "normal" range for a women under 35 is 1.5 – 4.0 ng/ml. Do not get discouraged by the number, mine is .01ng/ml and I still have a few eggs holding on!

2. FSH (Follicle Stimulating Hormone):  stimulates the ovary to release an egg. A high FSH can indicate a low ovarian reserve. FSH levels can flucuate during the menstual cycle, so it usually tested on day 3 of your period (this is also the day you would typically start IVF stim). FSH level of 10 or less is considered "normal".

Your gynecologist typically won't recommend proactive fertility testing because it's not automatically covered by federal insurance, but if you ask they will certainly provide it. There are companies offering at-home fertility tests, like Modern Fertility, for only $159. Working on getting you guys a promo code - stay tuned!