Vol. 3 | What is Modern Fertility? AMH and Hormone Testing Before Trying to Conceive 【Amina's Lens】
Modern Fertility
Before trying to conceive, an option to understand your own body
AMH, ovarian age, hormone tests.
These may not be to rush you, but rather to provide information to consider your future on your own terms.
You can view the official Modern Fertility website introduced today here.
View Modern Fertility Official Website1｜Before being pressured by the term "fertility treatment"
Recently, I often see the term "fertility treatment."
Age, egg count, ovarian age, AMH.
If you type it into a search engine, there's an overflow of information.
But much of it is,
"You should act now"
I sometimes feel that it carries such an urgent tone.
When I was 27, I had just finished my PhD in London and started working at a VC fund.
My head was full of career thoughts, and pregnancy and childbirth were "someday" topics.
Yet, deep down, I felt it.
That's when I encountered Modern Fertility, an at-home hormone testing kit.
Today, I want to write not about fertility treatment or infertility, but about the option of "knowing yourself before trying to conceive."
2｜What is Modern Fertility?｜At-home hormone testing
Modern Fertility is a femtech company from the United States.
You collect a small amount of blood from your fingertip at home and mail it in. Then, you can check hormone levels such as AMH online.
It's not a diagnosis of "whether you can get pregnant," but an at-home hormone test to understand "your current body."
It's not just for those undergoing infertility treatment.
- Those who haven't decided if they want to get pregnant in the future
- Those considering egg freezing
- Those who have started thinking about the timing of their career and childbirth
I felt that the essence of this service is that it's not "just for those who want to get pregnant right now."
3｜What is AMH testing for? — A new perspective on preconception hormone testing
AMH testing itself is not a new technology. It can also be received at clinics in Japan.
However, traditionally,
- As part of fertility treatment
- Bridal check-up
- Confirmation of "whether one's body can get pregnant"
It was often discussed in this context.
Modern Fertility presented a completely different question.
It was not for a partner, nor for family, but "data for women themselves to make future decisions."
This perspective was shocking to me at the time.
4｜What's new?｜Three shifts
Discussions about pregnancy and infertility are strongly linked to the hospital setting. But Modern Fertility brought testing "into daily life."
This not only offered convenience but also significantly lowered the psychological barrier.
Results can be checked online, and there's ample explanatory content.
It's not just about providing numbers; the "process of understanding" is also designed.
This test does not determine your future.
However, it can transform "the anxiety of imagining without knowing" into "material for consideration."
This philosophy was truly innovative.
5｜Dr. Amina's perspective｜Why was I so drawn to it?
At the time, I strongly wanted to invest in this company.
However, many of the investment team members were men, and the question "Why is it necessary?" was repeatedly asked.
That question is valid.
But there was a slight disconnect from the perspective of someone with a female body.
I felt this way:
It's about "how do I want to live?" and making that decision myself.
There's the choice to prioritize career at 25, the choice to consider freezing eggs at 30, and the choice to do nothing.
But all of these might be slightly more liberating than remaining "unknown."
This experience became one of the origins of establishing fermata.
6｜Considering at-home hormone testing in Japan?
In Japan, the number of hormone testing kits has recently increased.
However,
- Sample management and medical coordination
- How information is expressed
- Consultation systems to address results
Detailed design is necessary for these.
And above all, in Japan, there is still a cultural atmosphere where "talking about pregnancy is a bit taboo" and "thinking too much can cause anxiety."
That's why I believe this is not about "whether it will become popular," but rather about "whether society allows us to think about it."
7｜To the Future｜Measuring is not about being bound
The terms "hormone testing" and "AMH" are sometimes associated with pressure.
But I view it this way:
Measuring is about having "the information to consider your own future on your own terms."
Modern Fertility does not guarantee pregnancy.
However, I felt the power of knowing that "options exist" at that time.
Before being pressured by the term "fertility treatment." Before panicking.
The choice to calmly understand your body, just once.
Perhaps that's not about rushing the future, but about carefully considering it.
Next, to non-invasive hormone measurement
Next time, I'd like to delve a little deeper into the new trend of "non-invasive hormone measurement."
There are many options in the world that have not yet sufficiently reached Japan. Fermata will continue to introduce products and services that support understanding one's body, making one's own choices, and connecting to medical care when needed.
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