Science & technology | Fertility testing

Hormone tests for women’s fertility seem not to work

They estimate egg number, but not egg quality

Secondary follicles in ovary. Coloured Scanning Electron Micrograph (SEM) of ovary tissue, showing two secondary follicles. A developing egg or secondary oocyte (yellow) is seen at the centre of one follicle. Follicles are surrounded by theca (violet) tissue which secretes steroids. Inside the theca are granulosa cells (blue) which nourish the developing egg. Between granulosa cells a space develops (at centre right, brown) called the follicular antrum, into which follicular fluid is secreted. Secondary follicles must develop into graafian follicles before the egg is fully mature. Magnification: x320 at 6x7cm size. Magnification: x400 at 4x5 inch size.
Image: Science Photo Library

Women seeking to defer motherhood are often encouraged to check their fertility. Though fecundity is tied to age, the effect of time’s passage varies. Some 35-year-olds find they cannot get pregnant. Others manage at the first attempt.

This article appeared in the Science & technology section of the print edition under the headline “Tests of unreason”

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