Original of this article was published on ZRT Laboratory Blog. Last reviewed: May 2026.
Infertility is a heartbreaking condition that affects millions of people around the world — approximately 8–12% of couples. When a couple has been trying for over a year (under the age of 35) or over 6 months (over the age of 35), screening for hormonal causes is one of the first recommended steps. This is because sometimes simple adjustments to thyroid and/or progesterone can result in fertility.
What a Comprehensive Fertility Hormone Panel Covers
Fertility testing screens for numerous problems found in those with infertility. Our Fertility Test looks at all the sex hormones and includes the recommended panel of tests by Resolve™, the national infertility association:
- Oestradiol, progesterone and testosterone — evaluating ovulation, luteal phase defect and PCOS
- DHEA-S and cortisol — evaluating PCOS, blood sugar imbalances and adrenal insufficiency
- Complete thyroid panel — TSH, Free T4, Free T3 and TPO antibodies, screening for hypothyroidism and Hashimoto’s
- Day 3 FSH and LH — screening for PCOS markers and assessing ovarian egg reserve
This panel was designed to be one of the first things done for someone looking at why they aren’t pregnant, but is also a good test to screen men who are part of a couple with fertility problems.
“I’ve found this first-line screening to catch many things that people really hadn’t considered and that many OB/GYNs had not looked at.”
What This Screening Reveals That Standard Tests Miss
I’ve seen this information help women who are already in the process of doing Clomid or Letrozole where no one had fully evaluated them prior to trying these medications. I’ve also seen a lot of luteal phase/anovulatory cycles, PCOS, Hashimoto’s and hypothyroidism in women who really didn’t have the classical symptoms — they just couldn’t get pregnant.
For women concerned about thyroid function as a barrier to conception, our Thyroid Test Kit | Specialist Doctor Report Included measures TSH, Free T3, Free T4 and TPO antibodies from a simple at-home blood spot sample — with a specialist doctor report to help identify whether undiagnosed Hashimoto’s or hypothyroidism may be contributing to infertility or miscarriage risk.
For those wanting to assess ovarian egg reserve specifically, our Anti-Müllerian Hormone (AMH) Fertility Test Kit measures AMH from a simple at-home sample — providing a direct indicator of ovarian reserve that complements the day 3 FSH and LH markers in the full fertility panel.
Optimising for Fertility Before Treatment
As a naturopathic doctor, many people have wondered if I am against using fertility medications. The answer is no. However, I see women all the time being set up to fail these treatments. A fertility specialist will generally “allow” approximately 3 tries with oral medications before recommending IVF — which is great, but very expensive. So of course you want to see people have success in those 3 tries.
However, if a patient has Hashimoto’s or PCOS that is unrecognised and untreated, it makes it less likely that they will get pregnant with oral medications and/or more prone to miscarrying once pregnant. Instead, my recommendation is that women have a period of time where they are optimised for health and fertility — and then use those medications or IVF knowing that their success rates are going to be much higher per cycle.
Obviously, this panel cannot identify anatomical reasons for infertility and there are lots of unknowns. But I hope that you might consider this panel and be able to help a couple get pregnant. It’s one of the best feelings in the world to be a part of someone’s miracle.
Original of this article was published on ZRT Laboratory Blog.