Few things can be as frustrating as trying to conceive with no success. Especially when there's no particular known cause for why biology isn't working its magic.
The next step, of course, is testing your fertility. But that in itself comes with a whole load of new problems, from arranging appointments, meeting with specialists, paying exorbitant costs for the privilege and waiting anxiously for the results.
Usually it's recommended to wait a year without successfully conceiving before going to see a specialist or look into fertility testing. But if you'd rather cut to the chase and figure out what's going on sooner, it's well worth looking into at-home fertility tests.
Fertility tests are tools that help you to track your menstrual cycle and fertility and work by monitoring various physiological changes in the body that are indicative of ovulation, like changes in your basal body temperature, cervical mucus and hormone levels.
These can be especially helpful for keeping an eye on your body's subtle changes throughout the month, giving you insight into the best days of the month to try to conceive.
Fertility tests come in a few different forms depending on how much you're prepared to invest in the answers. One popular type of fertility tracker is the basal body temperature (BBT) monitor, which measures your body temperature each morning before you gets out of bed, and tracks changes in temperature over time. Another type of fertility tracker is the ovulation predictor kit (OPK), which measures the levels of luteinizing hormone (LH) in urine.
If you're someone who struggles with irregular menstrual cycles, these tools can be useful for mapping out your body's physiological changes over a period of time.
We've rounded up all of the best fertility tests.
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Ava Fertility Tracker
Gone are the days of having to second guess your body’s behaviour when it comes to conceiving. This innovative device combines advanced sensor technology with state-of-the-art algorithms to monitor various physiological parameters like your resting pulse rate, skin temperature and breathing rate.
By analysing these parameters in real-time, the Ava Fertility Tracker can predict your most fertile window with incredible accuracy. Bonus points for the fact that, as well as fertility tracking, Ava offers useful insights like sleep quality, stress levels and overall reproductive health.
Buy now £249.00, Ava
Suresign Fertility Bundle Pregancy & Ovulation Tests
Suresign’s Fertility Bundle Pregnancy & Ovulation Tests have become an increasingly popular choice for anyone looking to keep track of their menstrual cycle and maximise their chances of conceiving. One of the more budget-friendly versions around when it comes to fertility tests, this bundle includes both pregnancy tests and ovulation tests, making it an all-in-one solution if you’re trying to get pregnant.
The ovulation tests use a highly sensitive strip designed to detect the surge in luteinizing hormone, while the tests can detect pregnancy up to five days before a missed period.
Buy now £18.88, Amazon
Boots Ovulation Test Strips
Boots’ Ovulation Test Strips are a simple and effective way to track your menstrual cycle and determine your most fertile days - and they cost you less than a meal deal, too. The pack contains five individually wrapped test strips and only takes a few moments to show results. An affordable and reliable option for anyone looking to track their cycle and increase their chances of pregnancy, these strips offer insight into your fertility without costing a fortune.
Buy now £2.49, Boots
Clearblue Advanced Digital Ovulation Test Kit
The Clearblue Advanced Digital Ovulation Test Kit is one of the best fertility kits for guiding you in the right direction with impressive attention to detail. Its groundbreaking dual hormone indicator can detect both oestrogen and luteinizing hormone (LH) levels in a woman’s urine, making it more accurate than traditional ovulation tests. This 10-day test kit is designed to maximise your chances of conceiving a child by identifying the two most fertile days of your menstrual cycle with test results displayed on a digital screen to keep things simple.
Buy now £32.00, Boots
Boots Spermcheck Male Fertility Test
It’s important to check the fertility levels of everyone in the relationship if you’re trying to conceive, which means a male fertility kit might just be the next thing on your shopping list. This test is designed to give men an easy, convenient and reliable way to check their fertility and works by measuring the number of sperm present. The test can detect low sperm count in around 10 minutes, making it much faster than traditional methods.
Buy now £29.99, Boots
One Step Ovulation Strips
One Step’s Ovulation Strips are renowned for their high accuracy rate, with a sensitivity of 99 per cent and a specificity of 96 per cent, indicating their ability to reliably detect changes in those all-important LH levels. A reliable and effective tool for predicting ovulation and fertility, these easy to use strips give you the chance to hone in on the most potent window when trying to conceive.
Buy now £4.99, Amazon
iFertracker – Smart Fertility Tracker iFertracker
The iFertracker was designed to be not just user-friendly but also convenient and discreet, allowing you to easily integrate it into your daily routine no matter what that looks like. This device employs cutting-edge technology to help you monitor your fertility throughout your menstrual cycles by keeping tabs on bio-signals like body temperature, hormonal levels and cervical fluid. Detect your fertile days with a high degree of precision to make at least this part of the process a little simpler.
Buy now £106.00, iFertracker
Vitall Female Fertility (Sex Hormones) Home Test Kit
Vitall produces a range of health-focused tests and offers multiple options for anyone looking to keep an eye on their fertility. One of the most popular options is the brand’s Female Fertility Home Test Kit, which measures the levels of sex hormones through a quick finger prick. Normal female fertility testing is considered appropriate when a woman under 35 has not become pregnant after a year of trying, but if you’d rather not wait that long to take a closer look, this kit may provide some answers.
Buy now £79.00, Vitall
Vitall Anti-Mullerian Hormone Home Test Kit
Another finger prick option with no peeing on a stick necessary, this hormonal control test is designed to check your ability to produce eggs (ovarian reserve) which may be fertilised for pregnancy. Specifically designed for people who want to keep track of their fertility and reproductive health, this kit enables you to test your AMH levels in the comfort of your own home, without having to visit a doctor or undergo complex laboratory processes. Just prick your finger, send off the results to the lab and wait for them to be delivered.
Buy now £99.00, Vitall
Verdict
Trying to make the whole fertility thing feel a little more within your control? Ava's Fertility Tracker helps you to do just that, by predicting your most fertile window with incredible accuracy and showing you the signs to look out for along the way.
