The tests we run, and how to read them.

We test both partners before suggesting any treatment. Each page explains what the test measures, what the numbers mean, and what changes because of the result.

All 11 tests, in one place.

AMH and ovarian reserve

AMH (anti-Müllerian hormone) is a blood test, taken any day, that estimates how many eggs remain. It predicts how many eggs IVF may collect, not egg quality or pregnancy.

Beta hCG

Beta hCG is a blood test that measures the pregnancy hormone after IVF, IUI or a frozen transfer.

ERA, and why we stopped

The ERA test takes a small sample of the womb lining in a practice cycle to time a frozen embryo transfer. It adds about a month, a biopsy and a bill.

Follicle tracking and fertility scans

A follicular study is a series of 3 to 5 vaginal ultrasound scans in one cycle that track a follicle growing, check whether it releases an egg, and measure the womb lining.

Hormone tests

Fertility hormone tests are blood tests for FSH, LH, oestradiol, progesterone, prolactin, thyroid (TSH) and testosterone.

HSG and HyCoSy

HSG (an X-ray) and HyCoSy or HyFoSy (an ultrasound) check whether the fallopian tubes are open and the womb cavity is normal.

Hysteroscopy

Hysteroscopy passes a thin camera through the cervix to look inside the womb, with no cut.

Karyotyping

A karyotype is a blood test that counts and checks a person's chromosomes. A normal result is 46,XX for a woman and 46,XY for a man. Reports usually take 2 to 4 weeks.

PGT (embryo testing)

PGT (pre-implantation genetic testing) checks a few cells from an IVF embryo before transfer.

Semen analysis

A semen analysis is a lab test of one fresh sample that measures volume, sperm count, movement and shape against the WHO 2021 reference limits.

Sperm DNA fragmentation

A sperm DNA fragmentation test measures the share of sperm with broken DNA, reported as a DFI percentage. A normal semen analysis cannot see this.