Women’s Hormone Panel

Our Women’s Hormone Panel includes a broad panel of hormones, providing key insights to take control of your health and fertility – even changes in your hair, acne and weight gain.

Collect your specimen in the morning and drop it in the mail, on the same day, using the pre-paid envelope we provide in your test kit.

A cortisol test measures the level of cortisol in your blood, urine, or saliva to see if your levels are normal. Cortisol is a hormone that affects almost every organ and tissue in your body. It helps your body: Respond to stress (cortisol is sometimes called the “stress hormone”).

TSH measures the amount of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) in your blood. TSH is produced by the pituitary gland. It prompts the thyroid gland to make and release thyroid hormones into the blood.

The LH blood test measures the amount of luteinizing hormone (LH) in blood. LH is a hormone released by the pituitary gland, located on the underside of the brain. This is a hormone with key roles in both male and female reproductive systems. This test is recommended for men that have signs of infertility or lowered sex drive, or, have signs of a pituitary gland problem.

A prolactin (PRL) test measures the level of prolactin in a sample of your blood. Prolactin is a hormone produced by the pituitary gland, a small gland at the base of the brain. Higher-than-normal levels of prolactin in your blood can cause certain symptoms, such as irregular periods, infertility and erectile dysfunction.

Having higher-than-normal prolactin levels (hyperprolactinemia) can affect the body in different ways. In women, it can affect how the ovaries work and can cause menstrual problems and infertility.

Higher-than-normal prolactin levels can have different causes:
Prolactinoma, a benign (noncancerous) tumor growing on the pituitary gland. This is the most common cause. This type of tumor makes prolactin, which leads to higher-than-normal levels of prolactin in the blood.
Certain medicines
Certain health conditions, such as hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid), kidney disease, and chest injuries
Other pituitary gland tumors

A prolactin test is used to:
Identify a prolactinoma
Find the cause of irregular menstrual periods
Find the cause of infertility in men and women
Find the cause of a man’s low sex drive and/or erectile dysfunction
Monitor a known prolactinoma to see if:
Treatment is working
The tumor has come back after treatment

This test provides a sensitive measurement for Estradiol in the blood. Estradiol is one of the primary components of Estrogen. The increased sensitivity can be useful for situations where a person may have lower estradiol levels.

A progesterone test measures the level of progesterone in a sample of your blood. Progesterone is a hormone that’s made mainly by the ovaries, which are two glands in the female reproductive system that contain eggs. Each month, progesterone prepares your uterus for pregnancy.

Progesterone is produced primarily by the ovaries and is essential for regulating menstruation and supporting pregnancy. Progesterone levels fluctuate throughout the menstrual cycle and in different life stages. Measuring your progesterone levels can help monitor and track ovulation. Low levels of progesterone may be associated with irregular menstrual periods, mood changes and difficulty in conceiving. Elevated progesterone levels are often a sign of recent ovulation.

Whether you’re planning for a family, managing your menstrual cycle or seeking to understand your reproductive health, this progesterone blood test can help deliver insights, enabling you to make informed decisions about your health.

High Cortisol Levels Symptoms and Signs:
Fatigue
Mid-section weight gain
Bruising easily
Swelling in the legs
Mood swings
Irregular periods
Mental fogginess
Muscle weakness

Hyperthyroidism (too much thyroid hormone) is also called overactive thyroid. Having more thyroid hormones than you need speeds up your body functions and causes symptoms that include:
Weight loss, even though you may be eating more than usual
Rapid or irregular heartbeat
Feeling nervous or irritable
Trouble sleeping, fatigue
Shaky hands, muscle weakness
Sweating or being very sensitive to heat
Frequent bowel movements (pooping a lot)
Goiter (enlarged thyroid)

Hypothyroidism (too little thyroid hormone) is also called underactive thyroid. Not having enough thyroid hormone slows down your body functions and causes symptoms that include:
Fatigue
Weight gain
Being very sensitive to cold
Joint and muscle pain
Dry skin
Dry, thinning hair
Heavy or irregular menstrual periods
Depression
Constipation

The main symptoms of hypogonadism are reduced libido/erectile dysfunction, reduced muscle mass and strength, increased adiposity, osteoporosis/low bone mass, depressed mood and fatigue. If you are male, abnormally high LH levels along with low levels of testosterone may mean that your testicles aren’t responding to LH’s signal to make more testosterone. Low levels of LH may mean that your pituitary gland isn’t making enough LH. That can lead to too little testosterone production.

In women, symptoms may include:
Changes in menstruation (irregular periods or absence of periods)
Production of breast milk when not pregnant or breastfeeding
Nipple discharge
Infertility

Symptoms also depend on whether you have gone through menopause, which is when your periods stop, normally around age 50.

If you have higher-than-normal levels of prolactin because of a prolactinoma, you may also have other symptoms. A prolactinoma that is not treated can grow large enough that it presses against nearby parts of the pituitary gland and the brain. This can cause:
Headaches
Changes in vision, if the tumor is pressing on the optic nerve (the nerve at the back of the eye)
Low levels of other pituitary hormones, such as thyroid hormones and cortisol

If you’ve already been diagnosed with high prolactin levels from a prolactinoma, you may need prolactin testing to check whether your treatment is working. After treatment, you may be retested to see if the tumor has come back.

High levels of estradiol in men are associated with abdominal obesity, an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, insulin sensitivity, and blood sugar dysregulation. In males, estradiol and/or estrone tests may be used to see whether too much estrogen is causing conditions, such as late puberty, breast growth (gynecomastia), or infertility.

A progesterone test may be used to help:
Find the cause of female infertility.
Check to see if fertility treatments are working.
Find out your risk of a miscarriage (loss of a pregnancy before 20 weeks).
Diagnose an ectopic pregnancy, which is a fertilized egg that tries to grow outside of the uterus. The egg cannot grow into a baby when it’s in the wrong place. It must be removed to avoid damage to your organs. This can be a medical emergency.
Check the health of a high-risk pregnancy.
Diagnose ovarian cancer or problems with your adrenal glands. Normally, your adrenal glands make small amounts of progesterone. High levels of progesterone may be a sign of an adrenal gland disorder in both females and males.

You may need a progesterone test if:
You are having trouble getting pregnant. A progesterone test can help your health care provider see if your ovaries are releasing eggs (ovulating) normally.
You are having fertility treatments.
You are having abnormal bleeding when you’re not pregnant.
You are pregnant and:
You’re having progesterone therapy to prevent a miscarriage.
Your provider wants to check the health of your pregnancy because you have a higher risk for miscarriage or other pregnancy complications.
You have signs of a miscarriage or ectopic pregnancy, such as cramps or bleeding.