Order a menopause blood test: FSH, LH and estradiol

The years around menopause often raise questions. Your cycle changes, your sleep shifts or hot flushes appear, and you want to know what is happening hormonally. A menopause blood test gives you a snapshot of three hormones that can shift in characteristic ways during this phase.

Many women search for an am I in menopause test or want to know what their FSH level during menopause means. This measurement does not give a final answer, but it does give you concrete values to discuss with a doctor.

This menopause test may suit women who:

• notice changes in their menstrual cycle, such as irregular or missed periods
• experience symptoms often associated with perimenopause, such as hot flushes, night sweats or mood swings
• want to record their hormone values now so they can compare them later
• want concrete data to bring to a conversation with their GP

Do you use hormonal contraception or hormone therapy? Check with your doctor first, as this can influence the values.

This panel measures three hormones in your blood:

• FSH (follicle stimulating hormone): often rises as the ovaries become less active. Read more on the page about FSH.
• LH (luteinizing hormone): made by the pituitary gland and involved in ovulation; it can shift during the transition. Read more about LH.
• Estradiol (E2): a form of estrogen produced mainly by the ovaries; falling levels are associated with many menopause symptoms. Read more about estradiol (E2).

So alongside a standalone FSH test, you also get LH and estradiol, which together can paint a broader picture than a single value alone.

A pattern of an elevated FSH value with lower estradiol can fit the menopausal transition. Still, some caution is warranted: during perimenopause hormone levels fluctuate strongly, sometimes from month to month. A single FSH measurement therefore cannot prove that you are in menopause, and it cannot rule it out either.

See the result as a snapshot that can point you in a direction. Combined with your age, your symptoms and your menstrual pattern, it helps a doctor sketch the wider picture.

For this test, blood is drawn at a certified sample point. There are 700+ locations across the Netherlands; after ordering you choose a location and a moment that suit you.

The draw is done by trained staff and usually takes only a few minutes. A GP referral is not needed.

This test can be useful when:

• your periods become irregular, stay away longer or have stopped
• you have symptoms such as hot flushes, night sweats or restless sleep and want to know whether hormones may play a role
• you want to repeat an earlier measurement to see how your values develop

Are you wondering whether you are in menopause? Then measuring these three hormones can be a practical first step towards preventive insight into what is happening in your body.

For each hormone you see your value with its reference range and a clear explanation. An FSH level that fits menopause is usually elevated, while estradiol is then often lower. LH tends to move along with FSH and adds context.

Because values differ between labs, cycle days and individuals, a single number says little on its own. A doctor can interpret your results in the context of your symptoms and menstrual history.

Are you still menstruating? Then a blood draw on cycle day 2 to 5 is often chosen, because the values are usually easier to interpret then. Day 1 is the first day of your period.

If your periods have stopped or are very irregular, you can test at any moment. Note the date of your last period; that information helps with the assessment. Fasting is usually not needed for this test.

Your results are online within a few working days. You see your values for FSH, LH and estradiol, with reference ranges and a clear explanation per hormone.

Every blood test result includes a professional assessment from a BIG-registered doctor. For treatment decisions, discuss your results with your GP.