Essential Female Fertility Blood Test

Female hormones are vital not only for reproductive health but also for overall well-being, influencing energy levels, mood, and metabolism. Oestradiol (E2), the primary form of oestrogen, is produced in the ovaries and plays a central role in the menstrual cycle and fertility. Other key hormones include follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinising hormone (LH), and progesterone. Together, these hormones help regulate the menstrual cycle and support reproductive function. Testosterone, often thought of as a male hormone, is also important for women. It is used by the body to produce oestrogen and plays a role in maintaining bone and muscle strength, mood, energy levels, and libido. Hormone levels naturally fluctuate throughout the menstrual cycle and shift with age. As women approach perimenopause and menopause, oestrogen and progesterone levels typically decline, while FSH and LH levels increase in response to these changes.

Prolactin is a hormone produced by the pituitary gland that supports reproductive health. It’s best known for its role in stimulating milk production during pregnancy and breastfeeding, when levels naturally rise. Prolactin also influences the menstrual cycle, and elevated levels can affect the balance of other key reproductive hormones, such as follicle stimulating hormone, luteinising hormone, oestrogen and testosterone.

Several hormones are key to fertility, as they help regulate the menstrual cycle and support ovulation. These include follicle stimulating hormone, luteinising hormone and oestradiol to gain further insight into reproductive health, it can also be helpful to test levels of testosterone, progesterone, prolactin, DHEA-S, and AMH. Thyroid hormones also play an important role, as imbalances can affect cycle regularity and ovulation.

Testing female hormone levels is best between days two and five of your menstrual cycle, with day three being ideal. At this stage, levels of luteinising hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), and oestradiol are typically at their lowest and most stable. If your periods are irregular, aim to take the test on day three of your next cycle. If that is not possible, or if you do not have periods, you can take the test on any day, but please let us know the date your sample was collected, so we can interpret your results accurately. For the most reliable results, we recommend taking your sample in the morning, as hormone levels can fluctuate throughout the day.

Although often considered a male hormone, testosterone also plays an important role in female health. As women approach menopause, testosterone levels, along with oestrogen tend to decline, which can contribute to symptoms such as low mood, fatigue, and a reduced sex drive. Conversely, elevated testosterone levels in women may be a sign of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a common condition that can disrupt ovulation and affect fertility.

Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) is produced in the ovaries, specifically by the small follicles that support egg development. AMH levels reflect the number of active follicles, which naturally decrease with age. This decrease makes AMH a reliable indicator of the number of eggs remaining in the ovaries.

Yes, it is still possible to conceive naturally with a low AMH level, although it may be more challenging due to a reduced number of remaining eggs. Some individuals with low AMH may become pregnant without difficulty, while others may require fertility support, such as in vitro fertilisation (IVF).

If you have pre booked your appointment, it should be around 15 minutes. Sometimes it can take slightly longer, we always aim to have you out as soon as possible.

Contact reception by phone or WhatsApp on 020 4525 8805, or email info@clinilabs.co.uk, and we will move your appointment to another date. The collection fee paid online is non-refundable but can be re-arranged to any other date.

Phlebotomy is the act of taking blood from a vein (A venous draw). Certified phlebotomists are required to undertake this safely and expertly. There is a fee for the taking of the sample. This is a standard charge to either draw blood or handle urine or stool samples. This fee must only be paid once per visit. If this is prepaid (when booking online) it is nonrefundable but can be re-arranged to any other date. The price is £50 if paid in person or £30 if prepaid when booking online

For tests marked same-day results, have your sample taken at our Fitzrovia clinic by 4pm on a working day and your report is sent by secure email the same day, usually within hours. The earlier your appointment, the sooner your results. Tests with a longer turnaround show it on their page.

Our flagship clinic and laboratory are at 41–42 Foley Street, Fitzrovia, London W1W 7TS, a few minutes' walk from Oxford Circus (Central, Victoria and Bakerloo lines), Warren Street (Victoria and Northern), Goodge Street (Northern), Tottenham Court Road (Central and Elizabeth) and Great Portland Street (Circle, Metropolitan and Hammersmith & City).

All results will be sent out by email. Please ensure you have provided us with the best email to reach you on.

In most cases, there is no preparation needed. With particular tests, we recommend fasting for 8-10 hours ahead. These tests include glucose, cholesterol/lipid profile and homocysteine. In the event that it is difficult for you to fast, this will be noted by the phlebotomist, and where applicable adjusted reference ranges applied. If you are unsure whether you need to fast, please confirm.

For all patient enquiries you can contact the reception by phone/whatsapp on 020 4525 8805 or via email: info@clinilabs.co.uk. For careers at Clinilabs please email careers@clinilabs.co.uk

We are a private laboratory, and do not currently offer NHS services.

We can provide written clinical interpretations and/or virtual/in person consultations for your results. These are additional services and are not included in the price of your tests. Please enquire if you are interested in these services. The price of the tests includes a report that you will receive by email which includes your results as well as (where applicable) reference ranges and indications whether you fall outside of these.

At Clinilabs we do our best to give your results to you as soon as possible. Each test has an estimated turnaround time which can be found on each test’s page on our website. Please note that these are estimates and whilst we typically provide results sooner than advertised, we may in some cases require more time. If you are unsure about the turnaround time of your specific test and or require tests urgently, please confirm ahead of your visit.

We do partner with medical insurance providers such as Bupa UK, Bupa Global, Allianz, Cigna, WPA, Vitality. Please note that pre-authorisation is required for payment by insurance. We will also require payment card details to be kept on file; which will only be used in the event your insurance company does not cover your treatment. Please note that prices can vary greatly between insurance companies, and promotional online-only prices may not reflect prices charged if direct billing is being undertaken.

A panel (or profile) is a group of single tests chosen together to answer one question, such as iron status, thyroid function or a general health check. Booking the panel is cheaper than booking each marker separately, and the markers are reported together so they can be read in context. Each panel's page lists exactly what it includes.

If you are unsure which test you need, we recommend taking a look at some of our packages. Our website is divided by section and our clinical team have designed a number of panels to suit the most common requests. If still unsure, pleas feel free to contact us by whatsapp/phone/email for guidance. Ultimately, while our team may advise on our offerings, we recommend checking with your doctor as the ultimate responsibility is on the customer to select their tests.

Some blood tests require fasting, but many do not. For example, glucose, cholesterol/lipid profile and homocysteine are among some of the tests needed to fast between 8 - 12 hours. If fasting is required, we recommend doing so overnight and scheduling your appointment for the morning. This helps minimise discomfort from going without food. During the fasting period, you should stay well-hydrated, water is ideal, and you may also have clear, calorie-free fluids such as black tea or black coffee (without milk or sugar). If you are on medication, please check with your referring doctor if you need to fast. If you are self-referring, then you can call us to find out our recommendation. Please note: If you are unable to fast, this will be noted and adjusted reference ranges applied.

It’s completely normal to see slight differences in blood test results between different laboratories. These variations can occur for several reasons: Analytical variation: Even when the same sample is tested multiple times on the same machine, small differences can occur. This is called analytical variation and is measured using the coefficient of variation (CV). For example, total cholesterol has a typical CV of around 3% at a level of 5.0 mmol/L, meaning results between 4.85 and 5.15 mmol/L are entirely expected and not clinically significant. Test-specific variability: Some tests, especially hormone tests, naturally show more variation. These tests can have CVs ranging from 3% to 10%, so minor result changes are common and generally not a cause for concern. Laboratory differences: Each lab may use different analysers, reference ranges, or testing methods. Even factors like sample type, collection time, and processing date can lead to slight result differences. Biological variation: Your body’s own levels can fluctuate throughout the day due to stress, sleep, meals, or hormonal cycles. These natural changes can influence your test results as well.

At this point in time you must be over 16 to attend Clinilabs. We may however be able to arrange pediatric home visits for children. This is subject to availability. Please enquire with reception if you are interested in this.

For the majority of tests you do not need to have a referral, but you do need to know which test or set of tests you will need to have. Whilst we can (when possible) help to explain tests available, it is the patient’s responsibility to select the correct test/s, if requested by their doctor. For some specialist tests, you may require a doctors referral. This will be communicated to you upon enquiry.

Order your test online and choose the partner clinic option at checkout. We then post you a collection kit, and inside it is a unique booking code. Once the kit has arrived, go to clinics.clinilabs.co.uk, enter the code and choose a clinic and time that suit you. You cannot book before the kit arrives, because the code is needed to make the booking. Take the kit with you to the appointment. After your sample is taken, you post it back to our laboratory yourself using the pre-paid label in the kit.