Lab tests
Reproductive hormone test explainer
Hormone reports are hard to read because one test can have four or five reference ranges printed beside it: for different phases of the menstrual cycle, for after menopause, and for men. Units also change from one laboratory to another. Add your report below to see each hormone named and every printed range laid out.
Explain your reproductive hormone test
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- 3. Read itSummary, table of results, terms and questions to ask.
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What you get
- Each hormone on its own row with your report's units.
- Every reference range printed for a hormone, such as follicular, mid-cycle, luteal and postmenopausal, set out clearly.
- Details the report records, such as cycle day or time of collection, pointed out.
- Questions to ask your doctor about how the panel is being read.
Lines you may see on a hormone panel
- FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone)A hormone from the pituitary gland that acts on the ovaries or testes
- LH (luteinizing hormone)A second pituitary hormone that acts on the ovaries or testes
- Estradiol (E2), spelled oestradiol in some countriesThe main form of estrogen
- ProgesteroneA hormone made mainly by the ovary after ovulation
- Testosterone, total or freeThe main androgen, measured in both men and women
- ProlactinA pituitary hormone best known for its role in milk production
- SHBG (sex hormone-binding globulin)A protein that carries testosterone and estradiol in the blood
What this tool cannot tell you
For many of these hormones the expected level depends on sex, age, the day of the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, the time of day and any hormonal medicine being taken. A laboratory rarely knows all of that, so it prints every range and cannot say which one applies to you. MedicDecode will not pick a range for you unless the report itself states the phase, and it does not comment on fertility, menopause or any diagnosis. Your clinician is the one who matches the result to your situation.
Common questions
Why are there several reference ranges next to one result?
Levels of hormones such as FSH, LH, estradiol and progesterone change through the menstrual cycle and after menopause, so laboratories print a range for each stage. Which stage applies depends on information the laboratory may not have.
Can it tell from my results whether I am in menopause or whether I ovulated?
No. MedicDecode does not draw conclusions like that from a hormone panel. One set of results is a single moment in time, and your doctor reads it with your age, cycle and symptoms.
What is the difference between total and free testosterone?
Testosterone travels in the blood mostly bound to carrier proteins such as SHBG. The total figure includes bound and unbound hormone together; the free figure is only the unbound part, and some laboratories calculate it instead of measuring it.
Words you may see on this report
Tap a word for its plain-English meaning, an example line and what it does not mean.
- ALT (Alanine Aminotransferase)
ALT is an enzyme found mainly in the liver; when liver cells are irritated or damaged, more ALT leaks into the blood.
- AST (Aspartate Aminotransferase)
AST is an enzyme found in the liver, muscles, heart and other tissues; raised levels can signal stress or damage in one of these.
- Bilirubin
Bilirubin is a yellow substance made when old red blood cells break down; the liver processes it so it can leave the body.
- Creatinine
Creatinine is a waste product from normal muscle activity that the kidneys filter out, so its blood level helps show how well the kidneys work.
- CRP (C-Reactive Protein)
CRP is a protein made by the liver that rises quickly when there is inflammation or infection in the body.
- Culture and Sensitivity
A culture and sensitivity test grows germs from a sample to identify them, then checks which antibiotics can stop them.
- eGFR (Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate)
eGFR is an estimate of how well your kidneys filter waste from your blood, calculated from a creatinine blood test plus details like age.
- Electrolytes
Electrolytes are minerals in the blood, such as sodium, potassium and chloride, that carry an electric charge and help the body work.
- ESR (Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate)
ESR measures how fast red blood cells sink in a tube of blood over an hour; a faster rate can be a general sign of inflammation.
- Fasting Sample
A fasting sample is blood taken after you have had nothing to eat or drink except water for a set number of hours.
- Ferritin
Ferritin is a protein that stores iron; its blood level gives a good idea of how much iron the body has in reserve.
- HbA1c
HbA1c shows your average blood sugar over roughly the past two to three months by measuring how much sugar is attached to red blood cells.