12/15/2025
Before we talk about specific labs, I have to say this: just because your doctor says IVF is your only option, doesn’t make it true.
Let me say it another way: when all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail. In this analogy, IVF is the hammer 🔨
Your doctor is limited to the tools in their toolbox, based on their education.
They won’t dig into complex or nuanced nutrient deficiencies, because it’s not what they were taught.
They won’t run a full thyroid panel, because it’s not what they were taught (and insurance won’t cover it).
They won’t look at metabolic health, because it’s not what they were taught.
They won’t look at inflammatory markers, because it’s not what they were taught.
Are we seeing a trend here? I could give more examples, but I think you get it.
They’re not testing these things… NOT because you don’t need them, NOT because they don’t provide valuable information about your ability to get and stay pregnant… but because they weren’t taught to, don’t see the value, and in some cases wouldn’t know what to do with the results even if they did get them.
Here’s the list of labs that should be run before IVF, before a diagnosis of “unexplained infertility”, before “just keep trying”:
Full thyroid panel: TSH, T4, T3, Free T4, Free T3, Reverse T3, FTI, TPO & TG antibodies
Iron panel: including iron, ferritin, TIBC, UIBC, vitamin A, ceruloplasmin, copper
Cholesterol panel
Metabolic markers: fasting glucose, insulin, Hemoglobin A1C
Inflammatory markers: CRP, ESR, homocysteine
Nutrient status markers: magnesium RBC, zinc RBC, vitamin D, phosphorus, CBC
Immune & organ function markers: CBC, GGT, gastrin, haptoglobin
Stool test to assess gut and vaginal microbiome, gut immune function, hormone clearance
HTMA to assess mineral status, effects of stress on the body, toxic burden, metabolic rate
We run every single one of these on every functional fertility client we work with. Want to learn more about our root cause focused process? Comment TRAINING and I’ll send you a recorded training that breaks it all down step by step.
