Understanding your hormones and their role in fertility

Hormones are crucial to fertility and influence various processes within an individual’s reproductive system. They naturally fluctuate throughout the menstrual cycle, significantly impacting fertility. Understanding your hormones can offer valuable insight into how your body functions and the role they play in conception. Here’s a breakdown of the fertility hormones involved when trying to conceive.

Which hormones impact fertility?

Fertility relies on a mix of hormones that are produced during the menstrual cycle. Any imbalances or changes can disrupt hormonal function and the fertility process.

The key hormones that impact fertility include:

• Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) – Produced by the pituitary gland in the brain, FSH plays an important part in the menstrual process by stimulating the growth of ovarian follicles, small sacs filled with eggs. As the follicles mature, they produce oestrogen, which triggers a surge of luteinising hormone (LH), leading to ovulation. FSH levels can provide an indicator of ovarian reserve, which refers to the number of eggs an individual has and can help diagnose fertility conditions.

• Luteinising Hormone (LH) – LH triggers ovulation, which in turn leads to the production of progesterone, preparing the uterine lining for potential fertilisation and supporting early pregnancy.

• Oestrogen – Produced by the ovaries, oestrogen promotes the growth of the uterine lining and triggers the surge of luteinising hormone for ovulation.  

• Progesterone- After ovulation, the ovaries produce progesterone to prepare the uterine lining for implantation and support the early stages of pregnancy. It also relaxes the uterine muscle to further aid implantation.  If pregnancy does not occur, progesterone levels decrease, resulting in menstrual bleeding and the beginning of a new cycle.

• Anti-mullerian hormone (AMH) – AMH measures an individual’s egg reserve. Higher levels indicate a larger reserve of eggs, while lower levels suggest fewer eggs. Low AMH does not indicate infertility but signifies a declining egg reserve. However, it is still possible to conceive naturally or through fertility treatments.  

• Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) – Known as the pregnancy hormone, hCG is produced by the early placenta after implantation and indicates whether pregnancy has occurred. A positive result means that hCG is present and helps support early pregnancy and foetal development.