Learn how your ovarian reserve may impact your ovulation and fertility

This test may be helpful for anyone interested in learning about their ovarian reserve and egg quantity

This ovarian reserve marker is not meant to determine a woman’s ability to conceive.

FSH is released by the pituitary gland in the brain. It signals the ovaries to prepare for ovarian follicle maturation and release. FSH levels fluctuate monthly and baseline levels are often assessed on day 3 of the menstrual cycle. Baseline FSH levels typically increase with age as a result of declining egg quantity and increased stress on ovarian function. Over time, more FSH is needed for the ovaries to do their job. Evaluating FSH levels is one way to assess how hard your ovaries are working relative to your age. Our at-home FSH test can help determine if you have a diminished ovarian reserve. This test may benefit anyone who is interested in evaluating their fertility.

We do not recommend taking this test if you currently take hormones of any kind, including oral contraceptives. We do not recommend altering your hormone therapy without consulting your physician. If you are discontinuing hormone therapy, we advise waiting at least 6 weeks until collecting the sample.

Your ovarian reserve test results will assess your FSH level, which can be used as an indirect measure of egg quantity.

The results will indicate if your ovarian reserve should be adequate to achieve a spontaneous ovulation, provided there are no other causes for preventing ovulation, such as a hormone imbalance. This ovarian reserve testing does not diagnose fertile or infertile states of health and does not provide information about possible reasons for the inability to become pregnant due to ovulation disorders or other factors. Checking your hormone level within the body is suggested if you’re looking to gain a better understanding of your overall fertility and well-being.

How else can someone's ovarian reserve be evaluated?

FSH testing—which is what the Everlywell Ovarian Reserve Test lets you do—can provide an indirect measure of one’s ovarian reserve (how many eggs you have left). However, there are other ways one can be assessed for a potentially low ovarian reserve. One of the most reliable techniques makes use of transvaginal ultrasound to determine the person’s antral follicle count.

Antral follicles refer to follicles that are in the latest stage of development. Within a woman’s ovary there are four distinct kinds of follicles that exist at different stages of growth. Primordial follicles characterize the earliest stage, followed by primary, secondary, and finally tertiary or antral follicles.

Antral follicles are larger than the follicles in earlier stages of development, so they can often be identified and counted via transvaginal ultrasound. Fertility specialists and other healthcare providers use the antral follicle count as an indictor of one’s ovarian reserve.

As you can see, there’s more than one way to assess your ovarian reserve. If you aren’t sure which approach may be right for you, it’s a good idea to consult with your healthcare provider to help inform your choice.

After taking the Everlywell FSH test kit, you will learn if your FSH level indicates a normal, diminished, or decreased egg quantity for your reproductive stage in life. Knowing more information on your egg supply will help determine if you need to see a fertility specialist in the future.

We recommend that any woman who has a diminished Day 3 FSH level or any woman over the age of 40 consider testing her FSH levels one cycle apart for a more accurate evaluation. As always, we encourage you to share your results with your doctor once you’ve completed our egg reserve test. They can provide more specific guidance regarding your fertility. Also, consider checking out our fertility test for women.