Have you had a hormone blood test done and are confused by the results? Perhaps you’ve found interpreting the hormone blood test tricky and want to understand precisely what the numbers mean.
A test can give you serious insight into your female hormone profile results, particularly during times of hormonal changes (such as perimenopause and menopause). The test looks at hormones that control the menstrual cycle, ovulation, and fertility, which include the hormones FSH, LH, oestradiol, progesterone, prolactin, +/- AMH, and thyroid.
While the information is interesting, it can be hard to interpret – how exactly do you read “high” vs “low”, and what affects the results? This guide aims to clear it up so you have a better idea of your hormonal health. You may also decide to seek additional at-home hormone tests in the UK, with tests from Repose offering UK-based, single-use hormone tests that offer fast results you can later discuss with your doctor.
A female hormone blood test is a blood test that specifically checks hormonal levels in women, often to have a deeper understanding of menstrual, reproductive hormones, and menopausal health.
The most common hormones measured in typical profiles include FSH, LH, oestradiol (E2), progesterone, prolactin, ± AMH, testosterone, SHBG, and +/- thyroid hormones. Typically, these tests are used for:
The Repose female hormone profile tests FSH, LH, prolactin, and oestradiol in particular, and it’s done simply with a finger-prick test you can do in your own home before sending to a UK-accredited lab.
It is important to know when to have a female hormone blood test so that you can take steps to improve your hormonal health if necessary. Here are the most common reasons health specialists order these tests:
Keep in mind that menopause is typically diagnosed in women over 45 based on symptoms alone, with no blood tests necessary, and a blood test showing hormone changes will generally not change any treatment offered by your GP.
Also, if hormone imbalance symptoms are severe, it is best to order and interpret the hormone blood test results with a GP or specialist.
Every woman’s hormone levels change throughout their life. They fluctuate during the menstrual cycle, with pregnancy, while breastfeeding, and during perimenopause and menopause. Hormones can also change due to certain medications, such as birth control.
As such, female hormone blood test timing matters quite a lot, as it’s important to test for hormones at the right time in order to interpret results more accurately. Here’s when to test for each type of hormone.
For FSH, LH, oestradiol, AMH, prolactin: Day 2 of the cycle.
For progesterone: Day 21 of the cycle.
Be aware that hormonal contraception and HRT can distort results and potentially mask natural hormone patterns, which is why it’s important to interpret results carefully and, preferably, seek the interpretation of a specialist. Also, keep in mind that when it comes to perimenopause and menopause, your symptoms matter far more than the results of a blood test.
Here, we will go into each hormone and what the results may mean for you.
Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) is a hormone produced by the pituitary gland in the brain that plays a key role in regulating the menstrual cycle and fertility. In the ovaries, FSH helps recruit and grow follicles, which are small fluid-filled sacs that each contain an immature egg; as FSH stimulates these follicles, one usually becomes dominant and goes on to ovulate. Because of this, FSH is often measured as part of an FSH fertility test, especially when there are questions about FSH and ovarian reserve or cycle regularity.
Broadly speaking, higher FSH levels can be seen when the ovaries are less responsive, such as with reduced ovarian reserve or around the time of menopause (hence the common association between FSH and menopause), because the brain “turns up the volume” to try to stimulate the ovaries. Exact “normal” ranges and thresholds depend on the person’s age and the timing in the cycle, so FSH blood test results are usually interpreted in context by a healthcare professional rather than by strict cut-offs alone.
Luteinising hormone, or LH, is a hormone that triggers ovulation and works alongside FSH to regulate the menstrual cycle. Women typically experience a mid-cycle surge of LH for ovulation to occur, which is when women are at their most fertile. In women with PCOS, there is typically higher LH in relation to FSH, so that can be used as an indicator of PCOS.
You can also get LH blood test results earlier in the cycle, and it is typically included in many female hormone profiles, including the one offered by Repose.
Pre-menopause, oestradiol (E2 hormone) is the main form of oestrogen, and it is crucial for menstrual cycle regulation, fertility, and bone and heart health. Oestradiol usually rises just before ovulation in healthy premenopausal females. However, lower levels occur in menopause, and high or fluctuating levels may occur with certain conditions or treatments.
Repose offers you the chance to get oestradiol blood test results both as part of the Female Hormone Profile and as a single test, and you can use the oestradiol blood test results to help diagnose imbalances.
Next up is interpreting progesterone blood test results. This hormone is produced just after ovulation in the luteal phase and is responsible for preparing the uterus for pregnancy, making it a crucial hormone for a woman’s fertility. It’s best to check for progesterone levels on day 21 of the cycle, which is 7 days before the next period. If day 21 progesterone results show very low levels, that may suggest anovulation, which is when the ovaries fail to release the egg, which has a serious impact on fertility and can cause symptoms like irregular periods.
If you want to check your progesterone levels (which is recommended if experiencing period irregularities), Repose has a single Progesterone test that is often used in fertility clinics for cycle assessments.
Prolactin is a hormone produced by the pituitary gland, and it is best known for its role in milk production after childbirth – gesturing towards a link between prolactin and fertility and prolactin and periods. However, checking this level is also useful for general hormonal and fertility health, as prolactin blood test results showing high levels can disrupt ovulation and periods and even signal pituitary problems.
High prolactin in women often creates symptoms such as irregular or completely absent periods, breast discharge, and infertility. If you’ve been told your prolactin is high or you’d like to check it, a Prolactin home testing kit lets you measure prolactin levels from home and discuss the result with your doctor.
Anti-Müllerian hormone, also known as AMH, is a hormone that indicates the ovarian reserve (egg supply), as it reflects the number of small follicles in the ovaries. As such, the AMH blood test is also commonly known as an ovarian reserve blood test.
As it’s all about egg reserve, testing the Anti-Müllerian hormone is key in fertility planning and treatment. IT can also be helpful in identifying conditions like PCOS. Keep in mind that normal Anti-Müllerian hormone levels do not necessarily guarantee pregnancy; likewise, low Anti-Müllerian hormone levels don’t mean pregnancy is impossible. If you are interested in your Anti-Müllerian hormone levels, Repose offers an AMH Plus test as a single at-home blood test you can use and interpret easily.
Those are not the only hormones measured with blood tests – just the most common in female menstrual health. Female hormone profile test results may also look into other hormones, such as:
Testosterone and androgens: These male hormones are tested in women experiencing PCOS symptoms such as excess hair growth and a low libido.
SHBG: This is a binding protein that affects how much free hormone is available.
Thyroid health: Thyroid hormones (such as TSH and FT4) can mimic or even worsen hormone-related symptoms.
More specialised panels may also look at other hormones, including cortisol and DHEA-s. Interpreting these is far more complex and should always be done by a qualified clinician.
At Repose, you can find several related single tests, such as FSH, LH, and cortisol blood tests, that can help give you a more accurate overall view of your hormonal health.
While it’s best to get your female hormone blood test patterns interpreted by a healthcare professional, you may still want to get to grips with the results yourself. You may wonder: What do my hormone results mean? Here are some patterns to be aware of.
Be aware that similar hormone blood test patterns can occur for different reasons, such as specific conditions. Only a clinician can fully interpret them.
At Repose, you will find it easier than ever to get your hormones tested, as you simply need to order a kit online, collect the sample from the comfort of your home, send it back (with a prepaid stamp) to a UK-accredited laboratory, and then wait to view your results online. You will usually see your results within one to three days, so it’s a very quick turnaround!
At Repose, you can get Female Hormone Profile home Tests, as well as a range of single hormone tests. If you’d like a broad overview of key cycle and fertility hormones, a Female hormone profile home testing kit lets you check FSH, LH, prolactin and oestradiol from home.
When it comes to getting your female hormone blood test results explained, are you wondering how to interpret female hormone blood test results? The first thing to remember is not to panic over a single slight out-of-range result, as hormones change all the time. You should also always consider where you were in your cycle, whether you were taking any medications, and how you were feeling – for example, were you showing any symptoms?
Use the results as a conversation starter with your GP rather than attempting to diagnose yourself. It’s important to avoid private menopause tests that overpromise. If you want a more accurate diagnosis and understanding of your menstrual health, you should also keep a symptom diary to bring alongside your results, as your GP will understand your hormonal health more easily that way.
