Hormone Test

Follicle stimulating hormone test

Dr. Nithin Jayan
Medically Reviewed by Dr. Nithin Jayan, MBBS, DNB
Last Updated on May 23, 2014
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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 :



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