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Follicle Stimulating Hormone

Two hormones work closely together during your cycle to help orchestrate ovulation. Follicle stimulating hormone is one of these. It works with luteinizing hormone in different ways throughout your entire cycle.

As the name of the hormone suggests, it's essential in stimulating immature follicles to grow within the ovary. These follicles are what hold your eggs and one dominant one will burst to free an egg, or ovum, to be fertilized.

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FSH gradually builds in the first few days of your cycle, encouraging several follicles to mature. It drops slightly a few days later. It has a sharp peak right around your day of ovulation (along with LH), then drops again after ovulation and remains pretty low until your next cycle begins.

FSH levels were low during your childhood, and they'll be high after you go through menopause. Levels that are too high or too low during your childbearing years can cause issues with getting pregnant.

At-home test strips are now available to let you test your own levels of FSH – they're inexpensive and can be useful to help diagnose a low egg supply or quality. They can help identify low or high FSH issues and give you information you'll be able to use to increase your fertility.

Men also have follicle stimulating hormone and it's essential – it controls the amount of sperm. Unlike you, though, your husband's FSH level generally remains constant. A test on a man's FSH can help identify low sperm count.

(NOTE: Want the Top Easy Steps to Boosting Your Fertility? Use these 5 simple, evidence-based steps to get pregnant and carry your healthy baby to term. Get them here.)