An antral follicle count (AFC) is a measure of how many antral (or “resting”) follicles are in each ovary. These follicles are important because they are what release necessary hormones into your body to keep your menstrual cycle working properly, and they represent how many eggs are available to be fertilized. More of these hormone-producing follicles means a better chance of getting pregnant.

What the Test Involves

AFC is done during the pelvic ultrasound of your uterus—another infertility workup test that looks at your uterus. The AFC portion of your ultrasound will only take about 5 minutes, and it will determine if you have a low, normal, or high number of antral follicles.

Your doctor will use this test to learn how many eggs remain as well as your body’s likely response to treatment.

Tips & Hints

Depending on your doctor’s instructions, your bladder might need to be full or partially full. A full bladder allows for a clearer ultrasound picture.

If you’re menstruating and wearing a tampon, you will need to remove it for the exam, so make sure to bring an extra one for after the ultrasound.

The AFC test is one of a series of tests involved in the infertility workup evaluating a patient for treatment.