Most Indian IVF clinics will ask international patients to do a set of baseline tests before travelling — typically hormone bloods (AMH, day 2–3 FSH, LH and oestradiol, TSH, prolactin), infectious disease screening for both partners, a semen analysis, and a pelvic ultrasound with an antral follicle count. Doing these at home lets the clinic plan properly by video and can shorten your time in India. But the list is set by your clinic, and so is how recent each result needs to be — so ask before you book any tests.
Key points
- Commonly requested tests include AMH, day 2–3 FSH, LH and oestradiol, TSH, prolactin, a pelvic ultrasound with antral follicle count, infectious disease screening for both partners and a semen analysis.
- Your clinic decides the final list; ask for it in writing before booking any tests.
- Validity windows vary by clinic and by test. Infectious disease screening usually needs to be the most recent.
- Reports should be in English, with units, reference ranges, dates and your name on every page.
- Ask which results the clinic will accept from abroad and which it prefers to repeat on arrival.
Why test at home at all?
- A better first consultation. With results in hand, the doctor can suggest a protocol and likely medication doses instead of a generic plan. See your first video consultation.
- Fewer surprises on arrival. A thyroid result that needs correcting, or a finding on an ultrasound that needs attention, is better found months before your flight than on day one in India.
- A shorter trip. Some day 2–3 tests only make sense on specific cycle days. Doing them at home can avoid arriving early solely for testing.
The trade-off: some clinics prefer to repeat certain tests in their own lab, especially the ultrasound, because they want to see the ovaries and uterus themselves. That's reasonable, but ask up front which tests they will accept from abroad so you don't pay twice.
Tests commonly requested for the woman
| Test | What it tells the clinic | When it's usually done |
|---|---|---|
| AMH (anti-Müllerian hormone) | An estimate of ovarian reserve; helps guide medication doses | Usually any day of the cycle |
| FSH, LH, oestradiol (E2) | Baseline hormone picture; context for how the ovaries may respond | Typically day 2–3 of your period |
| TSH (thyroid) | Thyroid function, which clinics usually want in range before treatment | Any day |
| Prolactin | A raised level can affect ovulation | Any day; some labs prefer a morning sample |
| Pelvic ultrasound with AFC | Antral follicle count, plus the uterus and ovaries (fibroids, cysts, polyps) | Typically early in the cycle |
| HSG or similar tubal test | Whether the tubes are open; mostly relevant in some situations, not always needed for IVF | After the period ends and before ovulation — only if your clinic asks |
| Blood group and full blood count | General baseline, and useful for any procedure | Any day |
Depending on your history, clinics may ask for others — for example blood sugar or HbA1c, vitamin D, rubella immunity, or tests related to repeated miscarriage. Let the clinic add these; don't order a long panel on your own.
Tests commonly requested for the man
- Semen analysis. Count, motility and morphology. Labs usually ask for a set period of abstinence beforehand; follow the lab's instructions. If the result is borderline, a repeat is common. Our male infertility guide explains the terms.
- Infectious disease screening (see below).
- Further tests only if indicated — for example hormone tests, or a sperm DNA fragmentation test after repeated failures. Ask whether your clinic wants them.
If your partner can't easily travel, ask whether a sample can be frozen in advance. See travelling to India with your partner.
Infectious disease screening for both partners
Clinics screen both partners before handling eggs, sperm and embryos. The panel commonly includes HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C, and often syphilis. These results tend to have the shortest validity window of anything on your list, because clinics want them to be recent at the time of retrieval and freezing. If you test too early, you may have to repeat them in India.
A practical approach: ask the clinic for the exact window (for example, “within X months of egg retrieval”) and time these last.
Validity windows: ask, don't assume
There is no single rule for how old a test can be. Each clinic sets its own, and it varies by test. Hormone results may be accepted for longer than infectious disease screening, and an old ultrasound may not reflect your ovaries today. Some broad patterns:
- Infectious disease screens usually need to be the most recent.
- Day 2–3 hormones and the antral follicle count reflect a specific cycle, so clinics often want them close to treatment.
- AMH changes more slowly, but clinics may still want a recent value, especially after 35.
- A semen analysis can change from month to month, so a recent one is usually preferred.
Where to get tested when you live abroad
How you get these tests depends heavily on where you live:
- Your own doctor or a public system. In some countries a family doctor or GP can order some of these tests. In others, public fertility testing involves long waits. If you are on a waiting list at home, see NHS waiting list vs IVF in India for the UK angle.
- A private laboratory. Many countries have private labs where you can book blood tests directly, sometimes needing a doctor's referral.
- A local fertility clinic or gynaecologist. Usually needed for the pelvic ultrasound and antral follicle count, and for HSG if requested.
- Testing on a visit to India. If you are visiting family in India anyway, some patients do baseline tests then, at or near the clinic. Check validity windows first.
Private testing abroad can be expensive, and costs vary widely by country, so it is worth asking the Indian clinic which tests are essential before you travel and which can wait until you arrive.
Getting reports in English — and in a useful format
Indian clinics generally work in English. If you live somewhere reports are issued in another language — Arabic, French, German, Portuguese or others — ask the lab for an English version first. Many labs can print bilingual reports. If not:
- Ask whether the clinic accepts the original plus a translation, and whether the translation needs to be certified.
- Make sure units are visible. AMH, for example, is reported in different units in different countries, and a number without its unit can be misread.
- Make sure reference ranges and the date of the test are on every page.
- For ultrasounds, ask for the written report, not just the images — including the follicle count per ovary and endometrial measurements.
- Scan to clear PDFs rather than sending phone photos at an angle.
Our guide on sending medical records to an Indian clinic explains how to name files, compile them and share them securely.
A sample timeline
This is one way a couple might sequence tests before a trip. Your clinic's instructions come first.
- About three months before: AMH, TSH, prolactin; semen analysis. Send to clinics you're considering, then book video consultations.
- After choosing a clinic: get its written test list and validity windows; do anything it adds, such as HSG or extra bloods.
- The cycle before travel, or the travel cycle itself: day 2–3 hormones and baseline ultrasound with AFC, if the clinic wants them fresh.
- Within the clinic's window: infectious disease screening for both partners.
- Before flying: send everything in one bundle and ask the coordinator to confirm nothing is missing.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Doing a big panel of tests before choosing a clinic, then finding the clinic wants them repeated.
- Testing infectious diseases too early, so they have expired by retrieval.
- Sending results without units, dates or the patient's name on the page.
- Forgetting the male partner's tests until the last minute.
- Assuming a result is “fine” because it was flagged normal in your home country; let the treating clinic interpret it.
What if a result is abnormal?
Testing at home means you may see a worrying number before any fertility specialist has. Try not to draw conclusions from a single value. A low AMH, a raised TSH or a borderline semen analysis is information for planning, not a verdict. What usually happens next:
- Send the result to the clinic you're considering and ask what it changes, if anything.
- Some findings — thyroid or prolactin, for example — are often treated first, which may move your travel date. Better to know months ahead.
- Some results change the treatment plan or its cost, such as ICSI (typically ₹25,000–50,000 extra) for certain semen results.
- If you're told something that changes your whole approach, consider a second opinion before booking travel.
Testing at home or in India: how to decide
| Consideration | Favours testing at home | Favours testing in India |
|---|---|---|
| Planning | The clinic can make a specific plan before you book travel | You are already travelling for another reason and can test at the clinic |
| Cost | Your insurance or public system covers some tests | Private testing where you live is expensive |
| Validity | Your travel date is fixed and the tests fall within the clinic's window | Your dates are uncertain and tests might expire before treatment |
| Interpretation | The home laboratory reports clearly in English with standard units | The clinic prefers its own laboratory or scan for comparison during the cycle |
| Time in India | You want the shortest possible stay | You can arrive a few days early without difficulty |
Many patients use a combination: key hormone tests and the semen analysis at home to support the first consultation, with the baseline scan and any expiring screens repeated at the clinic.
Costs to consider
Costs for testing abroad vary widely by country and by whether a public system or insurance contributes, so we do not give figures for them. In India, a basic semen analysis typically costs somewhere in the ₹500–₹2,500 range at most diagnostic laboratories and fertility clinics, depending on the city and laboratory. Ask your chosen clinic for its prices for the full baseline panel so that you can compare the two options before deciding where to test.
An illustrative example: testing from London
The following is an illustrative scenario, not a real patient's experience. A woman aged 37 living in London plans a fresh IVF cycle in India with her husband in about four months.
- She asks her GP whether AMH, thyroid and prolactin tests can be arranged, and books the rest privately.
- Her husband books a semen analysis at a private laboratory, following its abstinence instructions.
- They send the results to two clinics and hold video consultations.
- The chosen clinic asks for a repeat day 2–3 hormone panel and scan in the month before travel, and for infectious disease screening for both within its stated window.
- She arranges the scan at a private clinic in London that reports the antral follicle count per ovary, and sends everything as named PDFs a week before the flight.
On arrival, the clinic confirms the baseline scan and begins stimulation without needing to repeat the full panel.
A checklist for every report you send
- Patient name and date of birth match the passport.
- Date of the sample or scan is clearly visible.
- Cycle day is noted for day 2–3 hormones and the baseline scan.
- Units and reference ranges are printed next to each value.
- The report is in English, or accompanied by a translation.
- The laboratory or clinic name and contact details are shown, in case the clinic needs to verify a result.
Sharing results as they arrive
Rather than waiting to send everything at once, share each result with the clinic's coordinator as it arrives, with a note of the cycle day where relevant. An early finding that needs attention — for example a thyroid result outside the clinic's preferred range — can then be addressed before it affects your travel dates.
Next steps
Once your tests are done, they are the backbone of a good first video consultation. If you haven't picked clinics yet, start with clinics set up for international patients and read how long to stay in India to see how home testing shortens the trip.