What is the medical definition of the menopause?
The menopause is the absence of regular menstrual bleeding for a period of 12 months. Perimenopause is the period leading up to the menopause during which women will experience changes in their menstrual pattern and the development of other menopausal type symptoms.
What does the test tell me about my hormones?
Your home testing kit will allow us to determine where you are with regards to your hormones. Once you have returned your home-test blood kit to the lab, your sample will be analysed by professionals and then your results will be sent to you for review. We strongly recommend that you take your results with you to your GP or gynecologist, so that you can discuss your concerns with a specialist. In addition, we have provided you with some basic guidance about the tests and the hormones they evaluate to help you with a preliminary reading of your test results when you receive them.
hormone profile test
FSH - stands for follicle-stimulating hormone. This hormone is produced by the pituitary gland in the brain. Its function is to stimulate the growth of the follicles within the ovaries every cycle. Follicles contain and ultimately release a single egg every cycle. As part of follicular development, the ovaries produce oestrogen and as the consequence oestrogen levels rise and FSH level fall during the cycle. In the perimenopause, follicular numbers are depleted and as a consequence FSH production is increased to enable ovulation to occur. At the time of the menopause, FSH levels remain very high due to the absence of ovulation.
Oestradiol - (17β-oestradiol or E2) there are three naturally occurring types of oestrogen in women and Oestradiol is the most active among them. It plays an essential role in the entire reproductive cycle from ovulation through to conception and pregnancy. Its influences are wide ranging including bone health (e.g. too little can lead to osteoporosis), skin health (e.g. too much can lead to acne), and fat deposits in the body (e.g. too much can lead to weight gain). Levels of Oestradiol can also effect libido and mood. Production of Oestradiol in the ovaries begins to fluctuate in later life and menopause can often be confirmed by a decrease of oestradiol levels in the blood.
It’s important to bear in mind oestrogen levels vary during the cycle and therefore an oestrogen test on its own is not a reliable test to assess the menopause.
Testosterone - is a steroid hormone produced by small amounts by the ovaries and the adrenal glands. The levels of testosterone in women are around one tenth of those in men. Low testosterone levels can have an impact on fertility, sex drive, red blood cells production, muscle mass and fat distribution.
Symptoms of low testosterone include sluggishness, muscle weakness, fatigue, sleep disturbance, reduced sex drive, decreased sexual satisfaction, weight gain, vaginal dryness and loss of bone density.
Vitamin D – The main role of vitamin D is to help regulate the absorption of minerals such as calcium and magnesium; consequently, it plays an essential role in bone and skeletal health. There are two types of vitamin D which are analysed in the test: 25-hydroxyvitamin D and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D. 25-hydroxyvitamin D is the major form of vitamin D and is the best indicator of the nutritional status of vitamins D in your diet.
Haemoglobin – to monitor for the evidence of anaemia
Thyroid FUCTION TEST
TSH - Thyroid Stimulating Hormone is produced by the pituitary gland and plays an essential role in the body’s monitoring systems designed to maintain stable amounts of thyroid hormones in the blood. TSH is released when a signal is received that there is low thyroid hormone concentration in the blood. This in turn stimulates the production and release of T4 and T3 by the thyroid gland. Once these are adequate, TSH production will switch off (known as negative feedback)
Free T4 - Free Thyroxine, FT4 is produced by the thyroid gland and is released by it in response to the production and release of TSH (see above). T4 is found in two forms in the blood - free (unbound) or bound to protein. If the thyroid gland does not produce enough T4 this may indicate thyroid dysfunction or insufficient TSH release. Symptoms of this may include weight gain, dry skin, cold intolerance, irregular menstruation, and fatigue.
When is the best time to take my test?
Regular or irregular cycle (Roughly 28-day): Day 2-5 of your cycle (day 1 of cycle is the first day of your period)
No cycle: Anytime
When will I get my results?
Blood test results are returned to us electronically from the lab and should be available within a week after being taken. Our Consultant Gynaecologist will go over your results and write a review.