There are a great number of factors that can affect your chances of conceiving, either in a positive way or in a negative way.  Some of these factors, such as problems with your cervical mucus, can be helped with certain types of medications.  Other problems can be much more difficult to overcome.  Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH, for short) levels greatly impact your chances of conceiving, and can be very difficult to overcome.

Follicle Stimulating Hormone levels are such an important factor in your chances of conceiving that a Follicle Stimulating Hormone level test is one of three important laboratory tests that are typically given to a couple that is having trouble with conceiving.  In addition to testing Follicle Stimulating Hormone levels, a semen analysis and an HSG (short for an hysterosalpingogram) are generally given to a couple with problems conceiving.

To understand exactly how it is that Follicle Stimulating Hormone levels affect your chances of conceiving, it is important to understand what Follicle Stimulating Hormone is and what it does.  Follicle Stimulating Hormone, which is produced in the pituitary gland, helps to promote the growth of eggs, in the case of women, and sperm, in the case of men.  When Follicle Stimulating Hormone levels are too high, it generally indicates a problem with the number of eggs that a woman has on reserve.  It has been estimated that only about 1% of women with high Follicle Stimulating Hormone levels will not have problems conceiving.

Follicle Stimulating Hormone levels can be checked with a simple blood test.  A test of Follicle Stimulating Hormone levels will produce a number.  If that number is 10 or below, it is considered average.  If that number is between 10 and 25, the levels of Follicle Stimulating Hormone are borderline.  If that number is over 25, Follicle Stimulating Hormone are elevated, and the woman may have a great deal of difficulty conceiving.

Most often, women with elevated Follicle Stimulating Hormone levels have very little chance of conceiving, and may even require an egg donor to improve their chances of conceiving.

• Follicle Stimulating Hormone And Infertility Problems
• What Do FSH Levels Mean When Trying To Conceive?
• Can You Still Conceive With High FSH Levels?
• When Should We Get Our FSH Levels Checked?
• FSH Levels – Rising and Falling
• What about FSH Levels in Men?
• FSH Levels and Menopause
• How is an FSH Test Taken and What Does it Mean?
• Can Obesity or High Cholesterol Affect FSH Levels?
• Are There Supplements I Can Take To Help My FSH Levels?
• Infertility Testing And FSH Levels
• What Is an FSH Test and Who Needs It?

This entry was posted under Fertility Issues.