As a woman, how can I get some measure of my current fertility?

Before assuming that you have lost fertility due to treatment or that you must now pursue alternative reproductive methods, it is important that you find out your actual fertility status.

There are certain ways to assess the impact of cancer treatment upon a woman’s fertility. The most common sign of fertility is the return of menstrual cycles once treatment has been completed. If the cycles return, it is a good sign, but does not guarantee that fertility has returned to normal.

The ovarian reserve refers to the ability of the ovaries to respond to hormones and to the quality and number of eggs in the ovary at any given time in a woman’s life. The ovarian reserve is an important measure of a woman’s ability to become pregnant.

While there are no precise tests to measure a woman’s ovarian reserve, women can undergo blood tests that measure hormone levels in the bloodstream. These tests can provide more clues about the impact of a woman’s treatment on fertility status and ovarian reserve.

The most common hormone measured is FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone), but levels of other hormones like inhibin B and AMH may also provide useful information about the ovarian reserve.