Fertility Blood Test – a 17 Markers

FSH is a hormone produced by the pituitary gland in the brain. This hormone is essential for producing eggs in women and producing sperm in men. In women, FSH levels peak at ovulation and can increase in menopause.

Luteinizing Hormone is a hormone produced by the pituitary gland in the brain. It plays an essential role in male and female fertility. In women, levels of LH peak before ovulation.

Oestradiol is the primary female sex hormone, but it is also an essential hormone for men. It is a type of hormone called an oestrogen that supports a healthy reproductive system and healthy breast tissue and bones.

Prolactin is a hormone which is produced in the pituitary gland and plays a role in reproductive health. Its primary purpose is to stimulate milk production after childbirth, and in pregnant and breastfeeding women prolactin levels can soar.

Anti-Mullerian Hormone (AMH) is a hormone secreted by cells in developing egg sacs (follicles). The level of AMH in a woman’s blood is generally a good indicator of her ovarian reserve.

Testosterone is a hormone that causes male characteristics and plays a key role in the libido for men and women. For men, it helps to regulate sex drive and has a role in controlling bone mass, fat distribution, muscle mass, strength and the production of red blood cells and sperm. Testosterone is produced in the testicles of men and, in much smaller amounts, in the ovaries of women.
Note: Reference ranges for Testosterone may vary from laboratory as they are based on the population they are testing. The normal range is set so that 95% of men will fall into it.

Androgens are male sex hormones but are also present in women. Most androgens are bound to proteins which makes them unavailable for our body to use. Measuring Free Androgen estimates the level of androgens in the blood that are ‘free’ (unbound) so are available for your body to use.

Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) is produced in the pituitary gland in order to regulate the production of thyroid hormones thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3) by the thyroid gland. If thyroid hormones in the blood are low, then more TSH is produced to stimulate the thyroid gland to produce more of them. If thyroid hormone levels are high, then the pituitary produces less TSH to slow the production of thyroid hormones.
If TSH is too high or too low, it normally signifies that there is a problem with the thyroid gland which is causing it to under or over produce thyroid hormones. Sometimes a disorder of the pituitary gland can also cause abnormal TSH levels.

Thyroxine (T4) is one of two hormones produced by the thyroid gland. It works to speed up the rate of your metabolism. Most T4 is bound to carrier proteins in the blood – it is only the free, or unbound, T4 that is active in the body. Free T4 is the less active of the two main thyroid hormones. To have an impact on your cells it needs to convert to the more active T3 when your body needs it.

The random blood glucose test measures the level of sugar in your blood and is an indicator of how well your body is metabolising sugars to store in your cells. It is most useful when analysed in conjunction with other sugar markers, such as HbA1c.

Insulin is an important metabolic hormone. Made in your pancreas, insulin is produced after eating in order to move the sugar from your blood into your cells for future energy use. If we eat too much, especially sugar and starchy foods, our bodies are flooded with insulin and over time our cells become resistant to the effects of insulin, leaving high levels of sugar and insulin in the bloodstream.

Cholesterol is an essential fat (lipid) in the body. It has some important functions, including building cell membranes and producing a number of essential hormones such as testosterone and oestradiol. There are a number of different types of cholesterol, but the two main components of total cholesterol are HDL (high density lipoprotein) -“Good” and LDL (low density lipoprotein)- “Bad”.
The total cholesterol result on its own only shows the total amount of both of these components and so even if you have a good amount of total cholesterol, you may have a low amount of good cholesterol and high amount of bad cholesterol therefore its important to review each of these results to understand your cardiovascular health and risks of cardiovascular disease.

HDL cholesterol (high-density lipoprotein) is a molecule in the body which removes cholesterol from the bloodstream and transports it to the liver where it is broken down and removed from the body in bile. HDL cholesterol is commonly known as ‘good cholesterol’.

LDL cholesterol (low-density lipoprotein) is a molecule made of lipids and proteins which transports cholesterol, triglycerides and other fats to various tissues throughout the body. Too much LDL cholesterol, commonly called ‘bad cholesterol’, can cause fatty deposits to accumulate inside artery walls, potentially leading to atherosclerosis and heart disease.

Cholesterol in your body is generally broken down into 2 main components; HDL and LDL. However there are other types of cholesterol such as VLDL (very low-density lipoproteins) and other lipoproteins which are thought to be even more harmful than LDL cholesterol. Non-HDL cholesterol is calculated by subtracting your HDL cholesterol value from your total cholesterol. It therefore includes all the potentially harmful cholesterol in your blood including LDL. As such, it is considered to be a better marker for cardiovascular risk than total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol.

Triglycerides are a type of fat (lipid) that circulate in the blood. After you eat, your body converts excess calories (whether from fat or carbohydrates) into triglycerides which are then transported to cells to be stored as fat. Your body then releases triglycerides when required for energy.

Haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), also known as glycated haemoglobin, is a longer term measure of glucose levels in your blood than a simple blood glucose test. Glucose attaches itself to the haemoglobin in your red blood cells, and as your cells live for around 12-16 weeks, it gives a good indication of the average level of sugar in your blood over a 3 month period.