Test : Follicle stimulating hormone test
Indications : The test is usually carried out during certain time of the menstrual cycle
The test is done to help diagnose or evaluate:
• Menopause
• PCO syndrome, ovarian cysts
• Infertility
• Menstrual bleeding / Vaginal bleeding
• Men who have underdeveloped testicles
In children, the test helps to evaluate:
• Those who develop sexual features precociously
• Delayed
puberty
You may be asked to stop medications that contain estrogen and progesterone for up to 4 weeks prior to the test. Also inform the doctor about the first day of your last menstrual cycle.
A sample of the blood is taken through venipuncture and is transferred to the laboratory.
Normal
Normal FSH level will vary in accordance to age and gender. The values are as follows:
• Male
- Before puberty: 0 - 5.0 mIU/ml
- During puberty: 0.3 - 10.0 mIU/ml
- Adult: 1.5 - 12.4 mIU/ml
• Female:
- Before puberty: 0 - 4.0 mIU/ml
- During puberty: 0.3 - 10.0 mIU/ml
- Menstruating: 4.7 - 21.5 mIU/ml
- After menopause: 25.8 - 134.8 mIU/ml
Menstruating Women |
Follicular phase: |
1.37–9.9 international units per liter (IU/L) |
Midcycle peak: |
6.17–17.2 IU/L |
Luteal phase: |
1.09–9.2 IU/L |
Women past Menopause: |
19.3–100.6 IU/L |
Men: |
1.42–15.4 IU/L |
In children high FSH indicates the start of puberty.
Abnormal
High FSH levels in women may indicate:
• Menopause / premature menopause
• Receiving
hormone replacement therapy
• Tumor in the pituitary gland
• Turner’s syndrome
Low FSH levels in women indicate:
• Being underweight
• Recent rapid
weight loss
• Non ovulatory phase
• Dysfunctional hypothalamus /pituitary gland
• Pregnancy
High FSH levels in men may indicate:
• Male menopause
• Damage to testicles due to alcohol abuse, chemotherapy, or radiation
• Genetic conditions like Klinefelter syndrome
• Tumors in the pituitary gland
• Treatment with hormones
Low FSH levels in men may indicate dysfunctional pituitary or hypothalamus
Physiology : The
follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) blood test is done to measure the level of FSH.
FSH is a hormone released by the pituitary gland in the brain. It is responsible for stimulating the follicles of the ovaries to produce eggs in
menstruating women. The levels of FSH vary throughout the menstruating cycle of a woman and is known to peak just before the release of egg. In men it helps to stimulate the production of sperms.
Normal Range : Male 4-25U/L, Female 4-30U/L
Interpretation : Higher values indicate hypopitutarism,genetic disorders like Turner and Knilfielters syndrome.Low levels indicate disorders of pituatiry and hypothalamus
References :
1. http://www.webmd.com/women/follicle-stimulating-hormone
2. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003710.htm