Hormone test for women: your hormonal balance in view

Your female hormones work together in a finely tuned rhythm. When that rhythm is disturbed, you can notice it in many ways. A hormone test for women links vague symptoms to measurable values.

The test does not produce a diagnosis. It does give you a factual starting point for the conversation with your GP.

This test suits women who see something changing in their cycle. It is also useful if you want to conceive or have questions about the menopause. Think of symptoms such as tiredness, an irregular period or hair loss.

If you simply want to know more about your hormonal health, that works too. You do not need symptoms to have your blood drawn.

This hormone test for women measures five hormones:

• FSH (Follicle Stimulating Hormone): stimulates follicle growth and plays an important role in your cycle.
• LH (Luteinising Hormone): signals ovulation around the middle of your cycle.
• Estradiol (E2): the main form of estrogen in your body.
• Progesterone: rises after ovulation and prepares your womb.
• Prolactin: can affect your fertility when levels are raised.

This hormone test for women does not measure testosterone, AMH or thyroid hormone. Although testosterone is known mainly as a male sex hormone, it matters for women too. It occurs in both men and women, only in very different amounts.

If you want those values, look at total testosterone or the AMH test. Your thyroid is assessed through TSH.

This test gives you a snapshot of your hormone balance. FSH and LH say something about the signal coming from your brain. Estradiol and progesterone show how your ovaries respond to it.

Together those values make patterns visible around your cycle and your fertility. The values say nothing about a cause on their own. That interpretation always happens together with a doctor.

This hormone test for women needs a small blood draw. So you do not take a sample at home, as you would with a self-test. In the Netherlands you can choose from 700+ sample points.

Your blood is then analysed in a certified laboratory. After your order you receive clear instructions for your appointment. The draw itself usually takes only a few minutes.

The moment in your cycle affects your values. FSH, LH and estradiol are often measured in the first days. Progesterone says more in the second half of your cycle.

Your LH value peaks around ovulation. If you do not have a regular cycle, blood can be drawn at another time. The doctor takes that into account in your result.

Your result shows each value with a reference range and a short explanation. What counts as usual depends on your cycle phase and your age. Reference values also differ per laboratory.

If your results show deviations, that is not a diagnosis in itself. The ratio between the hormones often says as much as the separate values.

Your result is usually online within a few working days. Every value gets an assessment from a BIG-registered doctor.

If needed, you then discuss the result with your GP. Do that before you change anything about your treatment.