Fertility Awareness in the Netherlands: What Women Wish They Knew Earlier
If you grew up in the Netherlands, chances are your biology class taught you how not to get pregnant. But when it comes to understanding your fertility, hormone health, and long-term options - many women are left in the dark until it feels almost too late.
That’s finally starting to change.
In recent years, more women in the Netherlands are turning to fertility awareness - not just when they want to conceive, but to better understand their bodies, timelines, and options. So, what do women here wish they’d known earlier?
We asked, and here’s what kept coming up.
1. “I had no idea fertility changes so much after 30.”
Many women think fertility is stable until menopause. The truth? Your fertility begins to decline in your early 30s - more significantly after age 35.
Egg quantity (ovarian reserve) starts to drop.
Egg quality declines too, which affects chances of conception and miscarriage risk.
The steepest drop is often between ages 35–38, yet most women don’t get this info until they’re already trying - or struggling.
2. “I didn’t even know what AMH was until I had problems conceiving.”
Anti-Müllerian Hormone (AMH) is a hormone that reflects your egg count. It can be measured via a simple blood test, including at home.
Women who discover low AMH often wish they had tested earlier. While it doesn’t predict exactly when you’ll hit menopause or whether you’ll have children, it can guide decisions about:
When to try (or freeze eggs)
Whether to see a fertility specialist
Birth control planning (if postponing pregnancy)
3. “My huisarts never brought it up so I thought everything was fine.”
In the Dutch healthcare system, general practitioners (huisartsen) are often the first stop for fertility questions. But they usually won’t refer you to a specialist unless you’ve been trying to conceive for at least a year (or six months if you're over 35).
This wait-and-see approach can leave many women:
Unaware of their own hormone health
Frustrated by delayed diagnoses (like PCOS or diminished ovarian reserve)
Playing catch-up once they’re finally ready to try
This is where at-home fertility testing is changing the game - letting women test their hormones without waiting for a GP referral.
4. “I thought birth control would protect my fertility.”
Hormonal birth control (like the pill or IUD) prevents pregnancy, but it doesn’t “preserve” fertility. It simply pauses ovulation while in use.
Some women assume being on birth control for years means they’re still in their fertile prime. But time keeps ticking - even when you're not ovulating.
The good news: being on birth control doesn't damage your fertility either. But it’s still worth checking your AMH and fertility status, especially if you're in your 30s and unsure about timing.
5. “No one told me PCOS or endometriosis could affect fertility until it was a problem.”
Conditions like Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) and endometriosis are common and often underdiagnosed in the Netherlands.
Both can impact fertility by:
Disrupting ovulation (PCOS)
Damaging reproductive organs (endometriosis)
Many women wish they’d known the signs earlier and had access to hormone testing before trying to conceive.
6. “I thought fertility awareness was only for people trying to get pregnant.”
Not anymore.
More women in their 20s and early 30s are using fertility awareness to:
Understand their cycle
Check in on hormone health (like AMH, FSH, LH, estradiol, thyroid hormones)
Plan for the future even if they’re not ready yet
Fertility awareness isn’t about pressure but about knowledge and choice.
At-Home Fertility Testing in the Netherlands
You don’t have to wait for a GP appointment or be actively trying to conceive to learn about your fertility.
With at-home fertility test kits now available in the Netherlands, you can:
Test key fertility hormones like AMH, FSH, and LH
Get lab results and medical insights without leaving home
Take control of your reproductive health on your timeline
Final Thoughts: Know Sooner, Stress Less
Fertility awareness isn’t just for future moms. It’s for every woman who wants to understand her body better. Whether you want kids now, later, or never, knowing your hormonal health can help you feel more confident and in control.
Because if there’s one thing Dutch women keep saying, it’s this “I wish I’d known earlier.”
