102. Is Online Fertility Testing a Scam? What You Need to Know

Are you feeling overwhelmed by all the online fertility testing kits and hormone panels that promise fast answers—but leave you more confused than before? You're not alone. Today on Cycle Wisdom, I want to protect you from wasting time, money, and energy on fertility testing that won’t actually help you get pregnant. We’ll break down how to evaluate these online services, how to know if the right diagnosis is being pursued, and how to tell whether your treatment plan is actually working.

You'll hear the story of Evelyn and Adam, a couple who spent thousands on online hormone panels and supplements with zero progress—until they found a truly restorative approach that uncovered real diagnoses and led to pregnancy.

Dr. Monica will walk you through:
 ✅ Red flags to watch for when purchasing fertility kits
 ✅ Why timing and personalized interpretation matter
 ✅ What real testing and follow-up should look like
 ✅ Steps to protect your time, energy, and money

Imagine if you didn’t have to guess anymore. Imagine if you had a clear, science-backed plan tailored to your unique cycle to improve health and promote fertility.
🎯 Ready to stop wasting money and start finding real answers? Book your free discovery call today at radiantclinic.com

Transcript

Monica: 0:00

Before we get into the episode today, I want to make sure you know about our free discovery calls to work with our clinic. If you are interested in learning how the medical services charting instruction or coaching programs we provide would be a good fit for you, go to our website, radiant clinic.com and click on the link that says Book free discovery call. One of our team members will get back to you and get all your questions answered about our process towards healing your cycles and restoring fertility. If you still have more questions after that call, my team can arrange for a time to talk directly with me and make sure we are the right fit for you. We're looking forward to visiting more with you soon and learning how we can walk this journey together, and now onto the episode. Welcome back to Cycle Wisdom, where we empower women to restore natural menstrual cycles, to improve health and promote fertility. I'm your host, Dr. Monica Minjeur, and I'm so glad you're listening today. Have you ever felt so desperate for answers that you clicked buy now? On an online fertility test at 2:00 AM hoping it might hold the key to your future family, you are not alone. More and more couples are turning to online hormone kits, overpriced fertility devices, and glossy ads, promising hope, but many are walking away with empty answers, wasted money, and even more confusion than before. As a restorative reproductive medicine physician, I've seen too many patients come to me heartbroken, not just because they're struggling to conceive, but because they've been misled, targeted, overcharged and underserved by companies that don't truly understand their cycles or the underlying reason for their fertility struggles. Today on the podcast, I want to help give you a protective lens so you can spot the red flags, understand what testing actually matters, and make informed decisions about your fertility journey without falling into financial or emotional traps. So let's get started with a patient story about a couple that we'll call Evelyn and Adam. Now. They came to me, Evelyn was 35 and Adam was 37. They had been desperately trying to grow their family for the past four years, and although they hadn't lost hope yet, they were starting to feel a bit defeated. In the years prior to coming to our clinic, they let me know they had spent over$3,000 on multiple online hormone panels that they could order themselves, saliva test kits, sperm tests, and fertility supplements from influencer recommended brands. But none of the results they received were actionable other than being told to buy these specific supplements from the company that provided the lab testing. They were told everything will normalize and you should be pregnant in no time. A year Came and went with still no pregnancy and no clear diagnoses or answers as to their next steps. After finding our clinic and working together, we realized the testing that had been done had missed many key patterns. For example, Evelyn's, progesterone, testosterone, and estradiol levels were all too low. She had adrenal insufficiency, and so the very first thing we did was to stop eight of the supplements she had been taking at the recommendation of some of those online companies that, by the way, sold her the supplements. After completing her lab tests, we worked together to find the real underlying diagnoses, which led to real treatment targeted to her. Okay, based on their lab findings and clinical history, I recommended three specific supplements and one prescription strength medication with clear indications for how we were going to continue monitoring it to make sure that it was improving things as expected to know if and when those treatments were actually working. We continued to monitor lab work over time, found that things were improving and most importantly, Evelyn was feeling well on treatment. Four months later, Evelyn and Adam found out they were pregnant and are due to deliver in a couple of months Now, focused testing and looking at the whole clinical picture made all the difference. So why are we seeing so much online fertility testing and why is it exploding? Unfortunately, there's such an increase in desperation for couples to get pregnant. We know that one in six couples will deal with infertility or sub fertility in their lifetime, and many people are capitalizing on this and creating this market opportunity in order to sell devices or testing to these couples. This online fertility testing often promises convenient or fast answers, and while they utilize attractive branding, and oftentimes are utilizing actors or actresses in order to complete their ads or their testimonials, they are significantly oversimplifying the science in many cases. Just getting a snapshot of what's going on with your hormones in any fashion is not the same as getting a full understanding of your cycle and the hidden cost here is this false reassurance or unnecessary anxiety. For example, many couples get testing back that is told that they are normal, and so then they continue to believe this lie that there is nothing else that can be done for them when the reality is the test that was checked was not the right test for them in the first place. A one day hormone panel can't tell you what your cycle is doing over time. Fertility is dynamic and it changes throughout your cycle, and that's what needs to be understood when we look at the broader clinical picture. The other piece that I would just like to mention today is talking about the financial gain that many companies have from this online fertility testing. According to fertility device and lab testing data, the global fertility testing device market is currently over$2.5 billion in 2024 and set to nearly double by the year 2030. In the US alone, the fertility test kit market is projected to grow from about 133 million in 2021 to over$200 million annually by 2027. And globally, lab-based infertility diagnostics already reach more than$4.4 billion annually and are expected to exceed almost$8 billion by 2030. So this is no small change here, and unfortunately, they are relying on and preying upon couples and individuals who are facing this desperation. So what are the things to look for as far as red flags? If you've ever used a fertility tracker, an at-home hormone test, or even a basic ovulation kit, you might assume that the data is accurate and helpful, but not all fertility tools are created equal and some could actually lead you astray. So let's talk about five things to watch for as red flags. The first is lack of personalized interpretation. Many online companies give you hormone results without any clinician oversight, cycle context, or individualized analysis. This leaves patients confused or misled by normal ranges that don't actually apply to their cycle phase or fertility goals. Just because a company has a medical director or someone that signs off on the labs does not necessarily mean that that individual actually even looked at your labs. Many companies have certain protocols in place that just allow the physician to order those tests or to be able to say, yes, we have met the minimum criteria needed in order for patients to self-order these tests. The second red flag to look for is poor timing of testing. Certain hormones like progesterone, luteinizing, hormone, and estradiol must be tested at the correct point in your menstrual cycle. If a test doesn't account for your unique timing or tells you to test on any random day, it likely will not give you useful answers, even if a test says to check on cycle day 21. We'll note that this is not the most accurate measure because as we've discussed multiple times on this podcast, not all women ovulate on cycle day 14 a hormone test without understanding. Specifically where you are in your cycle is like reading one page from a book and thinking, you know, the whole plot. Red flag number three, misleading marketing and overpromising results. Please beware of language that promises to boost fertility or get pregnant faster with no scientific backing. Some companies prey on vulnerability and urgency with emotionally manipulative advertising, and this is part of what they're doing in trying to sell products. The fourth red flag to watch for is unnecessary or incomplete testing. Okay. Many test panels include irrelevant markers. Skip crucial fertility. Labs don't include male factor testing or provide loads of data without a clear plan. Forward a single hormone level, even an anti-Mullerian hormone, which is supposed to check for a quote unquote ovarian reserve or progesterone. Can't tell the whole story. And the fifth red flag to watch for is if there is no specific follow up or treatment plan. If your test results come with no next steps, no physician to talk to and no way to use the information meaningfully. It's not a good investment. Fertility care requires an ongoing relationship, not just data points. So before you order that next test or download that new fertility app, or order the brand new shiny fertility device, take a step back and ask, does this tool offer real answers? Or just give me additional data without direction, because many times in my practice I see that that additional data ends up just creating a sense of overwhelm and anxiety, where we become plagued by trying to find what is normal rather than trying to find the underlying cause of the fertility concerns in the first place. So how do I know if the correct diagnosis is being pursued? So some important questions to ask when you are evaluated for some of these online tests or if you're evaluating a new fertility device, is to ask a question. Was my full health history reviewed because even in our practice there are many labs that we order that are the same for every patient, but there are also very specific labs that we order based on certain different historical data points from your health history. We also may recommend different charting methods as far as your fertility awareness method, education. The other piece to evaluate is if all systems are explored. Again, this is not about just looking for one lab point or one data point. It's about looking at that whole big picture. Because you are a whole person, we want to make sure that you're getting evaluated the pattern that's happening with your cycle, your hormone levels. Was male factor evaluated? Are all of your different systems being looked at, like thyroid dysfunction, adrenal gland insufficiency, insulin resistance, inflammation, gut health, and along with those systems, is the timing that's being ordered, timed to your cycle phase. Again, it's incredibly important to know exactly where you're at in your cycle when we order these tests in order to be able to understand if those labs have been interpreted in a fertility specific optimized range, rather than just being seen as normal. And finally, are you being told to just try this medication or try this supplement? Without asking why you're not ovulating or why your luteal phase is shortened, or why you're having irregular bleeding or significant symptoms. Again, in restorative reproductive medicine, we focus on charting timing and knowing how we correlate your symptoms with the big picture, not just focusing on those isolated data points for numbers. So maybe you've gone through some of this already and you've done some testing and you're on a treatment plan. How do you know if treatment is actually working? We are want to be looking for a few signs. So are your cycles and your overall health improving and are you feeling better? Oftentimes, this is going to show up as I'm having more regular or less painful cycles. I'm having more energy or my other menstrual symptoms have improved. This is not just about toughing it out and being strong and making it through whatever supplements you've been recommended. That is not an appropriate treatment strategy. We wanna make sure that you are ovulating consistently and not just Maybe again, if you go back to last week's episode where I talk about following ultrasounds for fertility tracking, this is a really important tool that we need to utilize in order to confirm that ovulation is happening. Are you having your markers tracked over time? Not just trying one thing and hoping that it works out? Specifically, if you've been told that you had a baseline lab test and you're prescribed a treatment with no follow-up, how are we ever going to know if that's the thing that's actually improving? Has your treatment been adjusted based on how your body responds? Within our practice, we are looking at what happens with your cycles on a month by month basis, and adjusting our treatment plan based on how your body is responding, not only by your lab tests, but also how you feel. And finally our male factors, as well as your other metabolic health factors being addressed. Also, again, we know that male factor can play a role in concurrent cases of female factor in at least 30% of the cases. And in 20% of cases we find that male factor alone is the cause of the fertility struggles. And so if you are not addressing the male factor when it comes to this picture, we may be missing the boat completely. What should I do instead? I am desperate for answers, and these online programs seem to offer hope and answers and a quick fix. So before you go and waste thousands of dollars on online tests or fertility devices or things that have empty promises. I want you to consider these five steps. First, number one, start charting your cycle ideally with the help of somebody who is in a science backed based method. Something like neo fertility, fem Creighton, Marquette, symptothermal billings. These are all methods that have scientific backing to prove and to help you understand when and if you're ovulating. It also helps us to identify any cycle abnormalities so that when you bring that chart to a healthcare professional that is able to interpret them, you've already got so many data points they're able to look at. Step number two, work with a healthcare professional. Trained in restorative reproductive medicine who will help to interpret and order your labs based on your cycle phase. Step three, focus on a whole body evaluation, not just the ovulation event, and not just singular data points. Step four, avoid pressure to just try this supplement. Or maybe we could test out this medication without understanding the why. And this would even go for any physicians or healthcare professionals you are working with. Unfortunately, many in the medical world are just told here, try this medication without digging deeper into the why. You should be able to understand exactly why each supplement and prescription strength medication is being prescribed for you in your unique situation, as well as understanding what side effects to monitor and what the follow-up plan should look like. And finally, step five, invest your time, money, energy, and hope into a system that values diagnosis first, treatment second, and follow up and ongoing monitoring as well. If you've been burned by online testing or feel like you're drowning in conflicting advice, I want you to know it is not your fault. The fertility space is full of noise, and when you're desperate for answers, it's easy to follow the loudest voice or the one that seems to be constantly targeting your social media feeds, but you deserve real answers. Answers rooted in science, in your story and personalized care. If you are ready to stop wasting money and finally understand what your body is telling you, we are here to help. Go to our website, radiant clinic.com, and let's take the next step together to finding you real answers, a real treatment strategy that works. If you're ready to work with our elite team of healthcare professionals, go to our website, radiant clinic.com to schedule a free discovery call and learn more about our package based pricing for comprehensive care. We are currently able to see people for in-person appointments in our Cedar Rapids, Iowa Clinic, or can arrange for a telehealth visit if you live in many different states across the us. Check out our website for current states that we can serve medical clients and let us know if your state is not listed to see if we can still cover you there as we are constantly expanding our reach, please note that our fertility educators are able to take care of clients no matter where they live. Thank you so much for listening to this episode. Please share this podcast with someone in your life who would benefit from our services. Remember to subscribe to this podcast for more empowering content that I look forward to sharing with you on our next episode of Cycle Wisdom.