Female Fertility Testing Services in Melbourne, VIC | AMH Testing
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Female fertility testing services

A woman’s fertility is far more nuanced than you might think – there is no one-size-fits-all approach. A formal fertility assessment is key to understanding why you may be having difficulty conceiving. Fertility testing for women is based on a series of minimally invasive procedures, such as scans and blood tests. Once you have undergone these fertility tests, our fertility specialists can tailor treatment advice specific to your individual situation.

Female fertility tests

After an initial evaluation, there are a number of fertility tests that our fertility specialists may recommend, including:

Blood tests

Our fertility specialists use blood tests to measure the level of hormones in your blood that play a key role in female reproduction. There are two types of blood tests that we commonly use.

  • AMH (anti-Mullerian hormone) Testing: Anti-Mullerian hormone is secreted by the follicles in the ovaries that contain a woman’s eggs. An AMH test, also known as the ‘Egg-timer test’,  assesses your reproductive potential by giving an indication of the number of eggs remaining in your ovaries. As women mature, their egg count and anti-Mullerian hormone levels naturally decrease. While AMH testing can indicate whether your egg count is low, it’s important to note that this fertility test is unable to assess the quality of your eggs.
  • Female hormonal assessment (LH, FSH, oestrogen, progesterone): These hormones fluctuate over the normal course of a woman’s cycle. Measuring these hormones at specific times of your cycle, including 7 days prior to your period starting and 2 days after your period starts, can help us to determine whether you are ovulating (releasing an egg from your ovaries) and if you have good ovarian function.

Imaging studies

Alongside AMH testing and female hormone assessments, we can also use imaging studies to understand more about your fertility.

  • Pelvic ultrasound: An imaging study of a female’s reproductive tract (uterus, fallopian tubes, ovaries) can help us ascertain whether there are any structural abnormalities that may be preventing a successful pregnancy. We may also use this scan to assess the number of egg-containing follicles remaining in your ovaries. As each follicle contains an immature egg that could potentially mature and ovulate, this fertility test allows us to estimate your egg count. In addition, a pelvic ultrasound can help determine if and when you’re ovulating.
  • Pelvic ultrasound with a dye (hysterosalpingo-contrast sonography): By injecting a dye into your reproductive tract and taking an ultrasound at the same time, we can get a detailed view of your uterus and fallopian tubes. This fertility test can help us determine whether your fallopian tubes are obstructed – which can impede the passage of sperm and the journey of an egg.

Surgical procedures

  • Hysteroscopy: During a hysteroscopy, a camera is inserted into the female’s uterus via the vagina. This occurs under sedation and provides a view of the inside of your uterus, allowing us to determine whether there are any abnormalities present. If we do see any abnormalities, it is usually possible for us to treat these at the same time.
  • Laparoscopy: A laparoscopy enables us to examine the inside of your lower abdominal cavity by inserting a camera through some small incisions we make in your tummy. This allows us to assess your uterus, fallopian tubes and ovaries. Again, if we do spot any abnormalities, it may be possible for us to treat these at the same time. This procedure occurs under a general anaesthetic, and may be performed at the same time as a hysteroscopy.

If it has not already been done, we will also conduct routine pre-pregnancy testing. This involves blood tests to screen for certain infections that may harm your baby.

 

How can I arrange a fertility assessment?

You can book an initial fertility consultation with any one of our fertility specialists, who all have consulting rooms based in and around Melbourne. During this appointment, your fertility specialist will order any fertility tests required as part of your initial fertility assessment. These tests will either take place in your fertility doctor’s consulting rooms, at our main fertility treatment centre in Box Hill, or at one of our service centres in Clayton and East Melbourne.

 

What about my partner?

Newlife IVF provides comprehensive fertility assessments for both males and females. It is important that both partners (where relevant) undergo fertility testing, as factors related to either one or both partners may be preventing you from conceiving naturally. For example, while the female partner may have a low egg count (particularly if she is older), the male partner could have a low sperm count, which is also contributing to your fertility issues as a couple.

Frequently asked questions

  • What female fertility tests are available?

    Our fertility specialists have a suite of tests available to help investigate the cause of your fertility issues. These include blood tests (testing for levels of important reproductive hormones such as anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH), luteinising hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, oestrogen and progesterone), imaging studies (pelvic ultrasound with or without a dye) and surgical procedures (hysteroscopy and laparoscopy). Individuals don’t always require the full breadth of testing available – rather, your fertility specialist will review your medical history and advise which testing options are best suited to your circumstances.

    Pre-pregnancy tests, such as blood tests to screen for infections, may also be recommended if not yet performed.

  • What is an AMH test?

    An AMH (anti-Mullerian hormone) test, also known as the ‘Egg-timer test’, assesses a woman’s reproductive potential. AMH is a hormone secreted by the follicles in your ovaries and can be used to help assess your ovarian reserve (the pool of eggs left in your ovaries). For instance, high AMH levels may indicate good egg reserve while low AMH levels are more likely to reflect low egg numbers. In some cases, extremely high AMH levels may indicate polycystic ovarian syndrome. It’s important to note that although this test provides valuable information about egg quantity, it does not assess egg quality.

  • What is a normal AMH level?

    As a woman matures, her follicular ovarian reserve naturally declines along with AMH levels – the older you get, the lower we expect your AMH level to be. Therefore, whether an AMH level is reported as ‘normal’ or not is relative to a person’s age. Your results are typically reported as a percentile, plotting your result relative to others in your age range.

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Get in touch

For more information or to book an appointment with one of our fertility doctors, please call (03) 8080 8933 or email [email protected]. Fertility appointments can also be booked via our online booking page.

Our three Melbourne clinics are based in Box Hill, Clayton and East Melbourne and are open Monday–Friday: 8:00am–5:00pm. We welcome patients from all over Victoria, as well as those seeking care interstate or internationally. All fertility treatment requiring day surgery or lab access (e.g. egg collection, embryo transfer) will take place at our state-of-the-art treatment centre in Box Hill. Fertility consultations and IVF cycle monitoring can be arranged at all three Melbourne clinics.

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