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“At-home testing can be an important component of a pre-conception journey and may also help someone in their consideration of fertility preservation,” says Director of Clinical Client Implementations at WIN, Rachael Jones, MSN, APRN, FNP. Dr. Peter Rizk, OB/GYN and Fertility Specialist for Fairhaven Health agrees.
“For older couples, it’s important to not waste valuable time, so I recommend they wait no more than six months to begin fertility assessment,” he says.
At-home fertility tests can help women take control of their reproductive health as they gear up to start trying, look ahead to the future or wait to get into their doctor for more extensive evaluation.
Are at-home fertility tests for women a good place to start?
Definitely. According to Rizk, an at-home fertility test, no matter what the brand, can be a good place to start for women who are curious about their basic numbers or have gaps in medical histories. For those with regular cycles, ovulation predictor kits can be especially useful in nailing down your most fertile days so you can time sex at the optimal point in your cycle for conception.
“Tests for ovarian reserve, such as the FSH testing, is a good first step at looking at your fertility picture or thinking about fertility preservation (egg freezing),” adds Jones. Though for the complete picture, a follow-up ultrasound to match with this test within a couple of days is indicated, so it can be helpful to connect with a Reproductive Endocrinologist or OB/GYN first, she notes.
For accuracy, Jones recommends looking for at-home fertility tests with CLIA certification. These tests for women are a good place to start when you’re not ready (or able) to run sperm tests or semen analysis with a partner.
“This means that the lab is certified to receive and test the samples and a physician-recommended one is also a good idea,” she says of choosing the best at home fertility test.
The best fertility tests for women to try at home 2023
Best overall
Everlywell Women’s Fertility Test
Merchant
Chances are, you’ve heard the name Everlywell before. This popular at-home fertility test measures 5 key hormones (estradiol estrogen, FSH, LH, TSH and total testosterone) that play a major role in a female’s fertility, checking for any imbalances that could affect your ability to conceive.
The test only requires a small amount of blood, which can be collected in the convenience of your own home with the included lancet and blood collection card, and sent in with the prepaid shipping label for lab analysis. All labs used are FDA-approved and CLIA-certified so you know the results are legit. The instructions are also super clear and easy to follow so it’s tough to mess up.
Results are available to download between five to eight days after your sample is received and everything is thoroughly reviewed by a board-certified physician in your state first. Everlywell also provides you with a recorded educational session to better understand your test and next steps.
Pros
- It’s very easy to use, can be done at home and doesn’t require a ton of blood
- Lab is CLIA-certified
- Affordable price point
- Results are easy to understand
- Recorded educational session gives you further insight into your test and next steps
Cons
- Not available in New York
