Infertility is increasingly common, with an estimated 1 in 5 married women aged 15-49 in the United States being affected by the condition, according to the CDC. That’s a pretty staggering statistic, yet fertility care hasn’t quite evolved to address those numbers.
A diagnosis of infertility is typically made after someone tries to conceive for a year with no luck. Because of that, most people are advised to try to conceive for a full year before being offered any type of fertility testing (six months if you're over the age of 35).
But here’s the thing: Trying to conceive for a year can be an incredibly painful experience, and a lot of that pain may not be necessary. Going through that full year of trying without having access to any information about your own fertility — or your partner’s — only to learn after a year that there’s something that’s been impeding your ability to get pregnant feels so futile. So why aren’t we normalizing the idea that people should have easier access to fertility testing — and the ability to control when they access information about their reproductive health — without having to follow a specific timeline?
Convenient, affordable fertility testing for women and men
Enter Labcorp OnDemand. The company offers on-demand fertility testing at an affordable price point, which can be accessed without attending a doctor’s appointment beforehand. In many cases, an OB/GYN will refer a patient to a reproductive endocrinologist for a full fertility workup after a year of trying. By contrast, Labcorp represents an opportunity to learn a few data points about your reproductive health whenever you feel this information would be helpful.
When it comes to facing fertility struggles, people are often quick to attribute the issue to the woman in a heterosexual partnership, but the reality is that male-factor infertility is behind half of infertility cases. To that effect, Labcorp offers fertility testing for both men and women.
For women, the Women's Fertility Ovarian Reserve Test is recommended as a first test that can provide an overview of reproductive health: It measures three hormones: AMH (Anti-Müllerian Hormone), FSH (Follicle-Stimulating Hormone), and Estradiol. For men, there’s the Men's Rapid Fertility Test, which can be taken at home and measures sperm concentration and semen volume, two factors that can impact fertility status and chances of conceiving.
By removing the need for a doctor’s visit from the fertility testing process, Labcorp’s testing options give patients more control over when they seek out information — which means they can seek out this data before or shortly after they begin trying to conceive if they’d prefer to learn more before spending a full year trying.
“Fertility can be an emotionally challenging and complex topic and many do not realize infertility is such a common issue until they experience it themselves when trying to conceive. We want to increase fertility awareness by making testing more accessible and providing the tools and resources that support the fertility journey,” says Praveena Yetur, M.D., Senior Pathologist and Medical Science Liaison at Labcorp. In addition to supporting patients throughout their journey, we also believe in improving existing options for testing. Patients have shared that they prefer collecting and testing their fertility privately at home with results that they can interpret themselves.”
The Men's Rapid Fertility Test is shipped directly to a consumer’s home after they purchase the test. Once you receive the test kit, you simply collect and test your sample at home, and the results are available in 15 minutes. OnDemand also offers a refill kit that can be purchased separately to support monitoring your fertility status over time.
The Women's Fertility Ovarian Reserve Test involves a blood sample, but Labcorp also offers testing at over 2,000 centers around the country. You may even be able to access this testing at your local Walgreens, where Labcorp has over 400 testing locations.
Understanding key information about your fertility can help you make lifestyle choices to support fertility, says Labcorp’s team. Additionally, if you know there’s something that may make conceiving a challenge, you can seek out medical advice or treatments earlier in the process.
Of course, another barrier in the world of reproductive health is cost. Labcorp offers transparent pricing, and people can use their HSA/FSA cards to cover costs.
While the Men’s Rapid Fertility Test and the Women's Fertility Ovarian Reserve Test can offer comprehensive looks at a person’s fertility, making these ideal tests to seek out if you want an overview of your fertility health, Labcorp offers a full portfolio of tests that can provide insights on many different facets of sexual and reproductive health. Other tests offered by Labcorp include the Menopause Test, Quantitative hCG Pregnancy Test, and more.
Labcorp’s focus on giving the general public access to information about their bodies doesn’t end with testing. They also have a personalized health app where you can track your reproductive health. With the Ovia Health apps by Labcorp, you’ll get daily personalized family health support and resources. The app can help individuals track important health details surrounding their fertility, ovulation and menstrual cycles, and even daily nutrition and exercise. Use code RESCRIPTED10 for 10% off!
Zara Hanawalt is a freelance journalist and mom of twins. She's written for outlets like Parents, MarieClaire, Elle, Cosmopolitan, Motherly, and many others. In her (admittedly limited!) free time, she enjoys cooking, reading, trying new restaurants, and traveling with her family.