At-Home Fertility Tests – What Should You Know?

At home fertility test female: As per the American College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, couples willing to become parents should have frequent physical intimacy without using any contraception methods for a year. Couples above 35 should try to conceive through unprotected frequent sex for more than 6 months. After that period, couples should visit a fertility or IVF centre to see an expert if they don’t conceive.

The expert interacts with them to know their conception issues, lifestyle, family backgrounds, ete. Initially, the doctor advises to use tools and at-home fertility tests and try again. Here, have a look at everything that you should know about at-home fertility tests:  

What are at-home fertility tests?

At-home fertility tests are a kit that helps males and females to evaluate their fertility at home. Couples like you may find it more convenient and private in comparison with consulting a fertility specialist.

Such a kit may help you know your hormone levels, sperm count, ovulation time, and sperm shape & motility. With it, you can stay aware of your reproductive health. However, these at-home fertility tests are not a replacement or substitute for an appointment with a fertility consultation. You need to consult a doctor for the interpretation of the results of these tests.

What are the types of at-home fertility tests?

On the market, you can come across an extensive range of at-home fertility tests that evaluate fertility on several factors. Apart from helping you know more about your fertility, these tests instruct you to see a fertility specialist to get more information. Here are the most common types of at-home fertility tests:

• Ovulation predictor kits – These kits are very helpful for you (females) if you have regular menstrual cycles and want to measure your basal body temperature every day and monitor cervical mucus. If you have irregular menstrual cycles, these tests can detect LH (luteinising hormone) levels, a type of fertility hormone. Through the test results, you know this hormone level is out of normal ranges.     
• Ovarian reserve tests (FSH test) – At-home ovarian reserve tests evaluate the level of (FSH) follicle-stimulating hormone in your bloodstream. If the tests show off a large amount of this hormone, your ovaries have to function hard and you have a few eggs left. However, with these kits, you cannot comprehend what is happening with your eggs and the results may be false.  
• Sperm test – To check male infertility, experts pay attention to these three important points – sperm count, shape (morphology), and motility (movement). At-home fertility tests, especially a sperm test, only indicate whether your sperm count is normal, low, or high. In comparison with lab-based semen analysis, these tests offer limited information and are not useful to evaluate male fertility accurately.

How do at-home fertility tests work?

In the current world, several different types of at-home fertility tests are available. And hence, they work differently. For example, take a sperm test. It only tests for sperm count and doesn’t provide any information on sperm shape and motility. For the right male fertility evaluation, lab-based semen analysis is an ideal option.

Are at-home fertility tests accurate or worth it?

In simple words, at-home fertility tests are accurate with limitations. These tests examine only particular markers and provide genuine information for what they are used for. In medical terms, these tests are limited and a single test can’t evaluate your entire fertility status.

For example, you can take an at-home sperm test kit. Through it, you can only know whether your sperm count is low, normal, or high. You can’t know sperm shape and motility through this. It means you need to have semen analysis done at a lab for your complete fertility evaluation. And this could be an extra expense for you. at home fertility test female    

If you use these at-home fertility tests well as per their instructions, you can have accuracy upto 99%. For example, you (females) can take Ovulation Predictor Kits. They are helpful for you if you want only the time of your ovulation when you have regular menstrual cycles. You differ from others. So, the accuracy of home-based your fertility test results may be different from what clinical studies suggest. It is better for you to consult a fertility doctor to recommend at-home fertility tests or discuss what you should do to conceive.

What are the risks of at-home fertility tests?

Usually, at-home fertility tests cause no health risks. However, you may have other risks such as cost, time, and emotions. Many couples think these tests are inexpensive and they forget that these tests have limitations and are not suitable for accurate fertility evaluation of a male or female.

They need to go for extra lab tests that could be more expensive. And the results of these tests are sometimes false that could be a toll on your emotions. The time you have invested in performing fertility tests could be worthless if you have to visit a lab for additional tests.    

What should you do?

You can use these at-home fertility tests for particular information on your fertility. However, you should not use them if you want to have a complete fertility evaluation of both of you.