What is this test? This blood test checks levels of important hormones related to fertility, menopause, period problems and other hormone related issues. Hormone imbalances or deficiencies may be to blame for a wide range of symptoms and conditions.
Sample required: blood from a vein.
Client preparation: Cycle day 3 is when many reproductive hormones are at the level doctors consider “baseline.” Days 2-4 are okay for testing as long as you’re still experiencing flow. If you have a super-short period (lasting fewer than 3 days), testing on day 2 is the way to go.
Turn-around time (How long does it take?): 2 hours offsite in a lab.
Tests done under fertility hormones include:
Fertility hormones (FSH, LH, Estrogen, Prog )
E2 (estradiol)
FSH
LH
B-HCG (quantitative)
Prolactin
Progesterone
Testosterone
Free Testosterone.
Basis of the Test:
Blood tests check for the following:
follicle stimulating hormone (FSH). This is the hormone that stimulates the fertile growth of the follicle containing the egg. If you are not having periods at all (amenorrhoea) it may be because this hormone is very low.
luteinising hormone (LH). This hormone stimulates the rapid growth of the follicle that contains the fertile egg just before ovulation. It may be normal or elevated in women with irregular or no periods; normal or low in women with no periods; and profoundly low in women who have lost so much weight as to place their health at risk.
prolactin (PRL). This hormone is normally elevated during pregnancy as it plays an important role in the preparation and establishment of breastfeeding. It may be raised in women who are not pregnant but whose periods have ceased or become very infrequent. This may be due to a small tumour in the pituitary gland or the use of particular medications.
thyrotrophin (TSH). The level of this hormone should be checked to see if the thyroid gland is underactive, which be linked with irregular periods.
androgens. Women with ovulation problems or who have polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) may have elevated androgen levels.
Reviews
There are no reviews yet.