A new “egg timer” blood test that would allow women to monitor their fertility has been developed by scientists in Australia.
The test, which will cost around £38, predicts hormonal levels based on the concentration of a certain fertility hormone. It means women will know how many eggs they have left, reports the Telegraph.
While fertility clinics in the UK already have a range of tests to determine the number of eggs a woman has, these test can be very pricey. This new test is aimed at those who want to monitor their own fertility before they head to the professionals.
“What the test will do is identify those younger women who may well be at serious risk of not having children easily when they're older. It will identify women who are at risk of having a premature menopause for example and allow women to plan how active they should be about fertility treatment,” said the medical director of IVF Australia, Associate Professor Peter Illingworth.
The test will be available in Australia from March. If it’s successful, it will be marketed elsewhere.
