FAQs

What is Fertell?
Fertell is the first over-the-counter home fertility testing kit for men and women to assess their fertility in the privacy of their own home. The kit contains two devices, one for testing male fertility the other for testing female fertility. The male device measures the concentration of motile sperm in semen and the female test measures follicle stimulating hormone ("FSH") in urine as an indicator of ovarian reserve, a key contributor to female infertility.

Both the Fertell male and female devices take established laboratory procedures run in fertility clinics and incorporate the technology into simple to use, accurate at home tests.

Who is it suitable for?
Fertell has been developed for couples who have been trying to conceive and would like to better understand their fertility status.

Where can couples buy Fertell?
It is available from larger Boots stores or can be bought online at www.boots.com or www.fertell.co.uk. You may like to give couples one of the tear-off leaflets that can be ordered via the Support materials section of this website, as a reminder of the name to ask for and what the kit looks like if they decide they want to buy one.

How does it work?
The female test measures levels of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH)on day 3 of the menstrual cycle - a key measure of ovarian reserve (the quantity and quality of eggs remaining). The male test measures the concentration of motile sperm (how strongly sperm swim forward).

Is it easy to use?
The female device is similar in design to a pregnancy or ovulation prediction test - the results are delivered within 30 minutes. The male test is also very easy to use; the man has to produce a sample, press a button and twist a switch and the device delivers an accurate measure of his fertility in just over an hour. The result is shown in a test window on the device: if the device shows two red lines it means the man has over 10 million motile sperm/ml semen (the WHO standard for normality - 20 million total sperm/ml semen, 50% motile), whereas if the device shows only one red line then the man is advised to seek further testing from a doctor.

How accurate is Fertell?
The tests are over 95% accurate when compared to established laboratory tests run in fertility clinics. However, although these tests are key indicators of fertility status, patients should be aware that there may be other issues affecting their fertility other than high FSH levels or low concentration of motile sperm.