|
Female Hormone Levels |
Hormone to Test
|
Time
to Test |
Normal
Values |
What Value Means
|
| Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) |
Day 3
|
3-20
mIU/ml |
FSH
is often used as a gauge of ovarian reserve. In general, under 6 is
excellent, 6-9 is good, 9-10 fair, 10-13 diminished reserve, 13+ very
hard to stimulate. In PCOS testing, the LH:FSH ratio may be used in
the diagnosis. The ratio is usually close to 1:1, but if the LH is
higher, it is one possible indication of PCOS. |
| Estradiol
(E2) |
Day
3 |
25-75
pg/ml |
Levels
on the lower end tend to be better for stimulating. Abnormally high
levels on day 3 may indicate existence of a functional cyst or diminished ovarian reserve. |
| Estradiol
(E2) |
Day 4-5 of meds |
100+
pg/ml or 2x Day 3 |
There are no charts showing E2 levels during stimulation since there is a wide variation depending on how many follicles are being produced and their size. Most doctors will consider any increase in E2 a positive sign, but others use a formula of either 100 pg/ml after 4 days of stims, or a doubling in E2 from the level taken on cycle day 3. |
| Estradiol
(E2) |
Surge/hCG
day |
200
+ pg/ml |
The
levels should be 200-600 per mature (18 mm) follicle. These levels
are sometimes lower in overweight women. |
| Luteinizing
Hormone (LH) |
Day
3 |
< 7
mIU/ml |
A normal
LH level is similar to FSH. An LH that is higher than FSH is one indication of PCOS. |
| Luteinizing Hormone (LH) |
Surge
Day |
>
20 mIU/ml |
The LH surge leads to ovulation within 48 hours. |
| Prolactin |
Day
3 |
< 24
ng/ml |
Increased
prolactin levels can interfere with ovulation. They may also indicate
further testing (MRI) should be done to check for a pituitary tumor.
Some women with PCOS also have hyperprolactinemia. |
| Progesterone
(P4) |
Day
3 |
< 1.5
ng/ml |
Often called the follicular phase level. An elevated level may indicate a lower pregnancy rate. |
| Progesterone
(P4) |
7 dpo |
> 15
ng/ml |
A progesterone
test is done to confirm ovulation. When a follicle releases its egg,
it becomes what is called a corpus luteum and produces progesterone.
A level over 5 probably indicates some form of ovulation, but most
doctors want to see a level over 10 on a natural cycle, and a level
over 15 on a medicated cycle. There is no mid-luteal level that predicts pregnancy.
Some say the test may be more accurate
if done first thing in the morning after fasting. |
| Thyroid
Stimulating Hormone (TSH) |
Day
3 |
.4-4
uIU/ml |
Mid-range
normal in most labs is about 1.7. A high level of TSH combined with
a low or normal T4 level generally indicates hypothyroidism, which
can have an effect on fertility. |
| Free
Triiodothyronine (T3) |
Day
3 |
1.4-4.4
pg/ml |
Sometimes
the diseased thyroid gland will start producing very high levels of
T3 but still produce normal levels of T4. Therefore measurement of
both hormones provides an even more accurate evaluation of thyroid
function. |
| Free
Thyroxine (T4) |
Day
3 |
.8-2
ng/dl |
A low
level may indicate a diseased thyroid gland or may indicate a non- functioning pituitary gland which is not stimulating the thyroid to
produce T4. If the T4 is low and the TSH is normal, that is more
likely to indicate a problem with the pituitary. |
| Total
Testosterone |
Day
3 |
6-86
ng/dl |
Testosterone
is secreted from the adrenal gland and the ovaries. Most would consider
a level above 50 to be somewhat elevated. |
| Free
Testosterone |
Day
3 |
.7-3.6
pg/ml |
|
| Dehydroepiandrosterone
Sulfate (DHEAS) |
Day
3 |
35-430
ug/dl |
An elevated DHEAS level may be improved through use of dexamethasone, prednisone, or insulin-sensiting medications. |
| Androstenedione |
Day
3 |
.7-3.1
ng/ml |
|
| Sex
Hormone Binding Globulin (SHBG) |
Day
3 |
18-114 nmol/l |
Increased
androgen production often leads to lower SHBG |
| 17 Hydroxyprogesterone |
Day
3 |
20-100 ng/dl |
Mid-cycle peak would be
100-250 ng/dl, luteal phase 100-500 ng/dl |
| Fasting
Insulin |
8-16
hours fasting |
< 30
mIU/ml |
The
normal range here doesn't give all the information. A fasting insulin
of 10-13 generally indicates some insulin resistance, and levels above
13 indicate greater insulin resistance. |
| Cholesterol,
Triglycerides and C-Peptide |
|
What to Test |
Time
to Test |
Normal
Values |
What
value means |
| Triglycerides
(TG) |
8-16
hours fasting |
< 200
mg/dl |
Borderline
high is 200-400, high is 400-1000, and very high is >1000. Elevated
levels are a risk factor for coronary artery disease. |
| Cholesterol
Total |
8-16
hours fasting |
< 200
mg/dl |
A level
of 200-239 is borderline high, and a level 240+ is high. Increased
levels are associated with increased risk of heart disease. |
| low-density
lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL) |
8-16
hours fasting |
< 160
mg/dl |
This
is the "bad" cholesterol. In someone with one risk factor for heart
disease, < 160 is recommended, with 2 risk factors < 130, and those
with documented coronary heart disease the target is < 100 |
| high-density
lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL) |
8-16
hours fasting |
> 34
mg/dl |
This
is the "good" cholesterol which may be increased through a healthy
diet and exercise. The HDL level is usually estimated by taking total
cholesterol and subtracting LDL, rather than by direct measure. |
| C-peptide |
8-16
hours fasting |
0.5
to 4.0 ng/ml |
Levels
increase with insulin production. |
| Creatinine |
|
< 1.4
mg/dl |
Levels
1.4 mg/dl and higher may indicate renal (kidney) disease or renal
dysfunction. |
| Male Hormone Levels |
| Hormone to Test |
Normal Values |
What
value means |
| Testosterone |
270-1100 ng/dl |
Testosterone production is stimulated by Leydig cells in the testicles. Low levels of testosterone combined with low FSH and LH are diagnostic of hypogonadotropic hypogonadism. |
| Free Testosterone |
.95-4.3 ng/dl |
|
| % Free Testosterone |
.3% - 5% |
A normal male has about 2% free, unbound testosterone |
| Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) |
1-18 mIU/ml |
Basic hormone testing for males often only includes FSH and testosterone. |
| Prolactin |
< 20 ng/ml |
A level two or three times that of normal may indicate a pituitary tumor, such as a prolactinoma, which may lead to decreased sperm production. Elevations can be treated with bromocriptine. |
| Luteinizing Hormone (LH) |
2-18 mIU/ml |
LH stimulates Leydig cells and production of testosterone. A problem with LH levels alone is rarely seen, so testing is only needed if testosterone level is abnormal. |
| Estradiol (E2) |
10-60 pg/ml |
|
| Progesterone (P4) |
.3-1.2 ng/ml |
|
| Progesterone in Pregnancy |
| When |
Normal Values |
What Level Means |
| Mid-Luteal Phase |
5+ ng/ml |
As mentioned above, a level of 5 indicates some kind of ovulatory activity, though most doctors want to see a level over 10 on unmedicated cycles, and over 15 with medications. There is no mid-luteal level that predicts pregnancy. |
| First Trimester |
10-90 ng/ml |
Average is about 20 at 4 weeks LMP, and 40 at 14 weeks LMP. It is important to note that while a higher progesterone level corresponds with higher pregnancy success rates, one cannot fully predict outcome based on progesterone levels. Progesterone supplementation is unlikely to help if started after a positive pregnancy test. |
| Second Trimester |
25-90 ng/ml |
Average is 40 at beginning, 90 at end. |
| Third Trimester |
49-423 ng/ml |
Usually peaks at about 175. |
| Excellent graph at http://repro-med.net/papers/progest.html. |
