Scientists at St Andrews, Edinburgh and Glasgow Universities in Scotland have made further advances in helping identify how much time a woman has before her fertility starts to decline.

By studying samples from over 3,000 women, researchers were able to identify what a ‘normal’ range of anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) is in a healthy woman and how it declines with age. AMH is measured as a way of seeing how active the ovaries are and what reserves of eggs a woman has remaining.

Using the new method, the scientists hope that women will be able to tell more accurately when they are likely to start the menopause – and so how long they have left to try and get pregnant.

Currently, there are no accepted tests that can predict exactly how much time a woman has left to have a baby, but we do know that once AMH levels fall below a certain point, getting pregnant can be much harder, and IVF success rates lower. The Scottish study will certainly help in interpreting AMH levels, the researchers are also hoping it could lead to the development of accurate testing to give an exact timescale.

If you want to know about your fertility, AMH-level testing is part of the Fertility MOT.

Whether you’re thinking of having a family now or in the future – Fertility MOT can give you an indication of your current fertility status. You can either choose from the full Fertility MOT, from £750 per couple, or our new ‘Mini MOT’, which costs £500 per couple or £400 individually.

Both MOTs involve a series of simple tests, including AMH tests and semen analysis, for you and your partner, followed by a detailed consultation with our specialists who will explain fully the results of your test and the implications.

The results of the tests will help you to decide when the best time is for you to have your family. And if it does show any problems, you’ll be prepared knowing that you’ll need help to get pregnant in the future.

Are you in a same-sex relationship? Come and visit the Fertility MOT stand at the Alternative Families Show 2011 in London.

We’ll be at the event on 17 September, at the Grand Connaught Rooms, Covent Garden to help all those thinking of starting a family to understand their fertility status.

Knowing your fertility status before you embark on any fertility treatment can be extremely beneficial. The Fertility MOT is designed to help identify how fertile you are, and whether there are any issues which are affecting your fertility which you may not be aware of.

For example, if you wish to use your sperm for surrogacy, our detailed semen analysis test will look at different qualities including your sperm count, sperm motility and whether there are any abnormalities which could prevent fertilisation of an egg.

If you’re in a female same-sex relationship, our tests include ovarian reserve measuring, to analyse how active your ovaries are and whether any issues – such as blocked fallopian tubes – could make standard fertility treatment such as intrauterine insemination with donor sperm difficult.

All tests are comprehensive yet simple, to ensure you have the most accurate picture we can give of your current fertility status. Even if you’re not planning a family just yet, it’s useful to know of any potential fertility issues you may have now, so you can be prepared for when the time comes for you to have your family.

Our expert consultants will meet with you once your results are available, to fully discuss the results with you and ensure you understand what they mean.

Fertility MOT testing can be done individually, or both you and your partner may decide to have the test. The full Fertility MOT costs from £750 per couple or £600 individually. We also offer a new ‘Mini’ Fertility MOT. Although not as detailed as the full MOT, it will still give you an indication of your fertility status. Mini Fertility MOT costs from £500 per couple.

To find out more about what’s involved, come and see us at the Alternative Families Show, we’d be delighted to meet you.

So you’ve decided to have another baby, the time is right for you to add to your family with a second child.

You start trying to conceive, but nothing happens. The months go by, and still no positive pregnancy test. You start wondering….is there something wrong with me? Why can’t I get pregnant again?

If you’re in this situation, you’re not alone. There’s even a name for not being able to get pregnant again, it’s called secondary infertility, and it’s more common than you think.

The good news is that if you’ve been trying for a while and have yet to fall pregnant, it doesn’t mean you need infertility treatment such as IVF. It could just be that you need to try for longer this time, after all, an infertility diagnosis is only considered if you’ve been having regular, unprotected sex for up to two years without getting pregnant.

You should also realise that your age could make it harder to get pregnant again, especially if you’ve waited a few years before deciding to grow your family. Natural fertility starts to decline from age 30 onwards, and even more so from age 35.

But if you’re concerned, you should consider a Fertility MOT test. It can tell you in as little as four weeks (one menstrual cycle) if there are any underlying medical reasons why you’ve not been able to get pregnant again, and can give you the reassurance that you just need to try for longer to conceive.

Secondary infertility is one of the most common reasons couples come to us for fertility investigations. So don’t hesitate to get in touch with us if you think a Fertility MOT could help you. Remember you don’t need a referral from your GP, you can simply book an appointment.