Nowadays at-home fertility tests are gaining popularity and are a great innovation for those interested in their fertility health.
But how much are they accurate? Is it advisable to rely on them for your fertility journey?
Read on to find out more about these tests, their accuracy, the risks, and the steps to take after finding your results.
Accuracy of at-home fertility tests
So, are at-home fertility tests accurate? The answer is yes, but they do come with limitations. These tests usually check for specific markers and return results with fairly good accuracy for what they’re testing for. That being said, these tests are somehow limited. One test alone cannot tell you your fertility status, and stacking up on different tests will be an expensive endeavor that is not going to paint a comprehensive picture of your reproductive health.
Even if used appropriately and as per the instructions on the test, at-home tests can still vary in reliability. Many tests claim to be 99% accurate, but that statistic comes from lab-controlled settings that are difficult to replicate at home. Everyone’s fertility markers are unique, and these slight differences could cause accuracy problems with most at-home tests. So depending on the test you are using, it may be very reliable, but only for certain people – and this accuracy drops even further if you’re not using the test correctly.
For tests that you send to a lab, consider using FDA-approved tests that make use of Clinical Laboratory Improvements Amendments (CLIA) laboratories and are usually interpreted by a healthcare provider. These tests are the most reliable so far.
Planning to opt for an IVF procedure? Did you know that the IVF Success Rate in Kerala is fairly high? Let our fertility specialists guide you along the way.
Types of At home Fertility Tests
There are many at-home fertility tests available in the market that test for a variety of fertility factors. These at-home tests can assist you to learn more about your fertility, or direct you to seek more information from your healthcare provider. At-home test accuracy depends on certain medical conditions or the time when you are using them. Three of the widely used fertility tests for home use include ovulation predictor kits, ovarian reserve tests, and sperm tests.
Ovulation Predictor Kits
These tests can be useful for women who have regular cycles and are looking for alternatives to taking daily basal body temperature and monitoring cervical mucus. Ovulation predictor kits don’t work for everyone, however. If you’re experiencing irregular cycles, your levels of luteinizing hormone aka LH( the fertility hormone these tests are designed to detect) could be outside of the normal ranges, making this test mostly unreliable.
Ovarian Reserve Tests (FSH test)
At-home ovarian reserve tests monitor the follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) level in your bloodstream. Large amounts of this hormone can indicate that your ovaries are working hard, suggesting that you have fewer viable eggs remaining. However, these at-home readings don’t provide sufficient information to interpret what’s really happening with your eggs and can even be false at times, causing you unnecessary worry or giving false hope.
Sperm Test
There are three important aspects of the sperm that are measured when checking your fertility health: movement (motility), shape (morphology), and count. At-home sperm tests only tell you whether the sperm count is low, medium, or high range while providing no information about sperm quality. Because this test provides limited information, the at-home version of a semen analysis doesn’t provide any actionable facts regarding male fertility.
The risks involved in at-home infertility tests
These tests pose no health risk to the user, but there can be other risks tied to the process. The first is undoubtedly the cost involved. Some people may think that at-home tests are comparatively cheaper than going to a fertility clinic. However, the reality is that the cost can start to add up if you’re combining different tests or trying multiple times. On top of that, your next steps would be to visit a fertility specialist and start treatments as per their instruction. Money can be saved by starting off your fertility health evaluation at a renowned fertility center and cutting out on the extra steps and costs.
The other risks are time and emotions. If you have extra time and are taking at-home fertility tests out of curiosity, there is no absolute issue with that! But if you have been trying to conceive without success for a long period of time and have concerns about your reproductive health, taking at-home tests can slow down the time between you getting fertility help from an experienced practitioner. These wait times can add to significant stress, which certainly doesn’t improve fertility health. Waiting for and receiving results can also be emotionally draining as you anticipate the outcome, whereas seeing a fertility specialist will get your results quickly and comprehensively – along with an understanding hand to hold to help interpret the results.
What Next?
Though limited, these tests can be seen as a starting-off point to get a general idea of your fertility health that you can then bring in to discuss further with your fertility specialist. If you are unsure regarding how to interpret the results of your at-home test, speaking to your healthcare provider can ease the process. It’s important to remember that at-home fertility tests should be considered as a supplement to more in-depth tests from your healthcare provider and not a replacement. For more comprehensive information about your fertility status, it’s best to visit your healthcare provider.
At Goodwill IVF, one of the Best Infertility Hospitals in Kerala, we’re happy to help you on your fertility journey. If you’re visiting us with your at-home fertility test results or are starting off from scratch, we are always here to guide you along the process so as to provide the most comprehensive fertility test results and treatment plans that are designed to assist you in your way to start a beautiful family. Make an appointment today and start speaking to one of our fertility specialists!
