Follicle Stimulating Hormones in Menopause
Many changes occur in the body when a woman is going through menopause. A woman's reproductive cycles come to an end during menopause because the body stops producing eggs in the ovaries. Many signs exist that indicate that menopause is occurring; one of these is the production of follicle-stimulating hormones.
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Follicle-Stimulating Hormone Before Menopause
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Before menopause, a woman ovulates each month, releasing an egg from one of her ovaries. Follicle stimulating hormone is released by the pituitary gland and stimulates a follicle, or egg, to grow and mature. When a woman has not entered menopause, FSH levels peak during ovulation, rising from 2 to 20 international units per liter before ovulation to 30 to 50 IU/L during ovulation. FSH levels then decrease after ovulation to the same range as before ovulation.
Follicle-Stimulating Hormone During Menopause
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During menopause, a woman's egg supply is diminishing. According to The Hormone Foundation, during menopause, the body tries to push the ovaries into releasing the remaining eggs by producing more follicle-stimulating hormone. Levels of FSH for women in menopause are generally more than 50 IU/L.
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Follicle-Stimulating Hormone Blood Tests
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If your doctor suspects you might be entering menopause, she will order a blood test to check your follicle stimulating hormone levels, in addition to other tests. If your levels are high, it could indicate you are entering menopause. However, other reasons for high FSH levels include polycystic ovarian syndrome or ovarian failure.
Follicle-Stimulating Hormone Home Tests
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Many drugstores, both online and store-based, sell FDA-approved follicle stimulating hormone tests. These tests are done in a similar way to at-home pregnancy tests. The tests check the amount of FSH in your urine. However, these tests do not let you know your level of FSH, but instead, turn positive or negative based on the sensitivity of the test (generally about 25 IU/L). Therefore, these home tests are not beneficial in determining if you are entering menopause. See Resources for more information.
Diagnosis Based on Follicle-Stimulating Hormones
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When diagnosing menopause, hormone levels are not the most reliable means to gauging menopause. Because hormone levels can fluctuate within a woman on a day-to-day basis, many doctors check follicle stimulating hormone levels as an indicator, but look for a lack of menstruation for 12 months as a key means for diagnosis.
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