Your Preconception Lab Guide: 5 Tests That Make a Difference
So, you’re starting to think about trying for a baby. Maybe you’re tracking cycles, reading labels, or just feeling a little overwhelmed by all the advice out there.
I get it. Preconception can feel like a whole other kind of health journey. One that’s deeply personal, powerful, and sometimes, a little mysterious.
That’s why I want to share 5 of my favourite lab tests that are simple but often overlooked ways to support your body before you get a positive pregnancy test.
Foundational Nutrients
Sure, a prenatal is always a good place to start, but there are key nutrients your body needs to build and support a healthy pregnancy, so why not ensure they’re optimal before trying to conceive!
Iron: low iron can lead to fatigue, poor oxygen delivery to tissues, and even impact ovulation and egg quality. Ensuring healthy stores before conception helps prepare your body for the increased demands of pregnancy.
B12: this vitamin is crucial for DNA synthesis, red blood cell formation, and healthy nervous system development in a growing baby. Deficiency can contribute to infertility and early pregnancy complications, making it important to correct beforehand when possible.
Vitamin D: this vitamin (which acts more like a hormone) plays a key role in our immune system, hormone balance, and implantation. Low levels are linked to reduced fertility and higher risks of pregnancy complications, so optimizing it early supports a smoother conception journey.
Thyroid Health
Your thyroid plays a major role in the brain-to-ovary conversation. When it’s out of balance, you might notice irregular cycles, irregular or absent ovulation, or just feel “off” in subtle ways.
What to check:
TSH we want ideally between 1–2 mIU/L when pregnancy is the goal.
Anti-TPO and Anti-TG antibodies to screen for autoimmune thyroid issues. If these are present, this can increase risk of miscarriage, making testing for it super important before trying!
Overall, advocating for a full thyroid panel with your ND!
Blood Sugar and Insulin
One of my favourite tests is the 2-hour insulin-glucose challenge to assess your blood sugar and insulin metabolism.
Even subtle insulin resistance (when your body needs an excessive amount of insulin to control your blood sugar) can mess with ovulation, egg quality, and hormone balance.
If insulin resistance is an issue before pregnancy, this can also increase your risk for developing gestational diabetes during pregnancy. So let’s investigate and support blood sugar regulation early, for a smoother and more balanced pregnancy!
Gut Health
Your gut microbiome impacts inflammation, hormone metabolism, and even egg/sperm quality.
Blood markers like urate can reveal microbiome imbalances and dysbiosis (more weeds than flowers in the garden!) which can contribute to fertility challenges, and also symptoms like constipation, bloating, gas, reflux!
The good news is we can rebalance the gut microbiome for a happier gut and a healthier environment for conception.
Progesterone
Progesterone is the hormone that reveals what happens after ovulation (in the luteal phase of your cycle).
It ultimately tells us two things:
Did you ovulate this cycle? (Remember, this is essential to get pregnant!)
Is your progesterone sufficient enough to support a pregnancy? (Progesterone is known as the “pro-gestation hormone” because it is produced by the leftovers from the egg that ovulated that cycle. Its main purpose is to help maintain a viable pregnancy.)
When testing progesterone, timing is key! We’re aiming to test 7 days after ovulation (track with an app or LH strips) to gain the most useful information.
The Bottom Line
Preconception is a time to tune in, nourish, and prepare your body’s fertile foundations.
These 5 areas: nutrients, thyroid, blood sugar, microbiome, and progesterone are the hidden players that often get overlooked, but can make a big impact on your fertility.
You deserve to feel confident and supported as you begin your journey.
✨ Ready to dig deeper? Book a free 15-minute Meet & Greet with me! ✨
