I did an at-home fertility test and found out something alarming
It is pretty clear that I have reached the point in my life where targeted online ads stop being about fun holidays and start being about fertility tests. As a woman in my late 20s, the state of my future chances at conceiving is not something that has eluded me.
We are convinced - more warned - from an early age that getting pregnant is something that should be avoided at all costs. And as the years roll on, suddenly women are bombarded with questions about if and when they will have children.
'You need to try before you're 35' is a common comment. However, as someone who is happily single, the idea of reaching that age and still not wanting to grow a family just yet is a very real possibility.
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So to have a clear picture of my health, I decided to do a fertility test now so that planning for the future would be easier. I chose to undergo a test from company Hertility which sets you back £149.
The process is simple, you fill out a detailed medical form before pricking a finger to fill a small tube with blood. This induced a variety of swear words from me but for the most part, it was very simple to do.
The blood is then posted off to a lab where experts analyse the sample for a variety of different hormones before the results are emailed back to you. Seeing them land in my inbox created a knot in my stomach which surprised me.
It may have been because an acquaintance had recently told me that she had the egg reserve of someone in their 40s - a fact that was making it hard for her and her husband to conceive. Would I also have an issue?
The first thing I saw at the top of my results sheet was an exclamation mark symbol, something which does not very often mean good news. It turned out that all of my hormone levels were in the 'normal range' apart from one.
This was something called the Anti Mullerian Hormone (AMH) which is related to egg reserve. My levels were unusually high which can be an indication of polycystic ovaries.
However, after engaging in a video call with one of Hertility's doctors (these cost an additional £39), I was reassured that I was unlikely to have this condition as I had no other symptoms. These include irregular periods, acne, excess hair growth and weight gain.
Instead, it is likely that I have a large amount of eggs in my reserve - something which hopefully means that conceiving a child in the future will be possible. I was advised to book a pelvic exam to confirm whether or not there is an issue with my ovaries, which if done so through Hertility would cost £219.
I may qualify for a test on the NHS but would likely be added to a waiting list if a GP deemed it a necessary examination. It is of course worth noting that many women experience unexplained infertility - but knowing more about my hormone health has helped to put my mind at ease in regards to planning my future.
The hormone test and video call from Hertility were both gifted by the company.