Day 3 - FSH Blood Work

I had blood drawn today to measure my baseline Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH).

What does FSH do?

Follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) is one of the most important hormones involved in the natural menstrual cycle as well as in drug-induced stimulation of the ovaries. It is the main hormone involved in producing mature eggs in the ovaries. FSH is the same hormone that is contained in the injectable drugs I will be using to produce multiple eggs.

Why does my doctor measure my FSH level on day 3?

By measuring my baseline FSH on day 3 of my cycle, my doctor gets an indication as to whether I have normal "ovarian reserve". He is looking at how hard my body needs to "step on the gas" early in my menstrual cycle to get a follicle growing. This will determine the amount and type of injectable drugs he will prescribe for me.