When Should We Get Our FSH Levels Checked?

When Should We Get Our FSH Levels Checked?

Fertility issues can be because of a number of factors. There is no one reason or two reasons why you are not getting pregnant. There may be a number of reasons why you are not able to conceive and it is important to find out the reason first. If you have been trying for a year to get pregnant with no luck, you should talk to the health care provider immediately. She will carry out a number of tests to determine the reason behind the problem. When you go to the doctor, she will recommend three early tests. One is the sperm test taking the male partner’s semen in order to test the sperm count and sperm motility. The second test will be for the female partner. This test will check whether your fallopian tubes are fine or whether they are damaged or blocked for some reason. The third test is also for the female partner and this is to check the FSH levels in the body. Claim Your 20 Free Pregnancy Tests – Click Here

What is FSH?

FSH is short for Follicle Stimulating Hormone. This hormone is not gender specific. In other words, the pituitary gland of both males and females produces this hormone. However the levels of FSH in the female partner are checked in case of a fertility issue. This is because, in women, the hormone works to make sure that the eggs are healthy and that they grow properly so that they are ready for fertilization. The levels of follicle stimulating hormone can be checked through a routine blood test. The reason why they are checked is that the hormone’s quantity corresponds to the quality and number of eggs in the ovaries. This is also called the ovarian reserve. If the number of eggs is less, the FSH is more and vice versa.

Levels of FSH

Thus, if the levels of FSH are high in the body, you have an infertility issue. The levels of the follicle stimulating hormones must be below ten. It is considered borderline if the levels range between ten and twenty-five. If the level is above 25, then it directly shows an abnormality. The FSH levels are usually tested on the third day of your period or your menstrual cycle. This is the reason why the test is also referred to as Day 3 FSH test.

What happens in the body?

What happens in the body is, if your ovarian reserve is low, the body is stimulated to produce more amounts of follicle stimulating hormones in order for a follicle to develop. With low ovarian reserve, follicle development gets difficult and thus, the pituitary gland is stimulated to produce more FSH. This is the reason why FSH levels directly relate to the ovarian reserve. If the tests say that FSH levels are more than 25, you should take it for granted that conceiving is nigh impossible. If the levels are in the borderline range, you have a few chances of pregnancy.

Infertility treatments

The only way to conceive, thus, will be through infertility treatments such as IVF through an egg donor. Since your ovarian reserve is low, you have to depend on a donor for the eggs. You should consult your doctor, get the FSH levels checked, and do the needful immediately. Know that taking the test at least twice is ideal because the levels may rise or drop through the menstrual cycles. Make sure you take the test the following month also just to be sure.

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Maureen Stephens, BS, RN
Maureen Stephens, BS, RN | ConceiveEasy
Ms. Stephens has spent over twenty years in the healthcare world, specializing in obstretical and medical/surgical nursing. She joined ConceiveEasy as she has a strong interest in educating and empowering women and promoting fertility awareness.

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