New kit checks on womens' chances of conceiving

By using a £179 fertility test women will be able to check on their fertility status and estimate their chances of conceiving.

A British company, Lifestyle Choices has launched the world's first publicly available triple-hormone ovarian reserve test, creating concerns that women may rely on it to estimate how many more years they can put off having children.

The Plan Ahead kit, according to the manufacturer, is the most accurate hormone-based ovarian test and it will enable women to make more informed decisions about when to try to conceive.

The test is accurate for up to two years ahead, allowing women to decide whether or for how long they wait to conceive.

Small blood samples which are taken during the woman's period measure two ovarian hormones, Inhibin B and AMH; and a third pituitary hormone, FSH.

The blood test counts the number of eggs in a woman's ovaries compared with the levels expected for others of the same age.

The product is clearly aimed at the increasing number of women delaying motherhood as they pursue their careers, believing they will still be able to conceive late in their thirties or even early forties.

As fertility decreases significantly after 35, many women who have put off having children find they are unable to conceive naturally later on.

The Plan Ahead kit arrives hot on the heels of Birmingham University's Fertell test, aimed at couples having problems conceiving.

This test checks the woman is ovulating and contains the first over-the-counter male fertility test.

The Family Planning Association is viewing the new test with some caution as they believe there are other factors involved in fertility, such as a partner's fertility, lifestyle factors and whether sex takes place when the woman is ovulating.

The Plan Ahead test, will apparently give an accurate forecast of the number of eggs in reserve, meaning that women facing an early menopause are warned to not delay conceiving.

The test was developed by Bill Ledger, professor of obstetrics and gynaecology at Sheffield University, who hopes it will help many women avoid the distress caused by the early or unexpected arrival of declining fertility and menopause.

Plan Ahead will be available in chemists and private clinics later in the year.