Irregular cycles, mood swings, low energy, changes in your skin or hair. A hormone panel can help explain them, but only if you know that these levels move all month long. The day you test changes the answer.
If you still have periods, FSH, LH, and estradiol are usually checked early in your cycle, around day 3 counting from the first day of bleeding. Progesterone is different: it is most useful about seven days after ovulation, which is around day 21 in a 28-day cycle, because that is when it should peak if you ovulated.
Estradiol is your main estrogen. FSH and LH are the brain's signals to the ovaries, and FSH rises as ovarian reserve declines. Progesterone helps confirm ovulation. DHEA-S comes mostly from the adrenal glands. Testosterone is normal in women at low levels; higher levels can point toward conditions like PCOS.
Hormonal birth control changes these numbers, so results mean something different while you are on it. In perimenopause, hormones swing from month to month, which is why a single test cannot confirm or rule it out; doctors usually diagnose it from your age and symptoms. Some supplements, biotin in particular, can interfere with lab tests.
Note the first day of your last period when you test, and share it with whoever reviews your results. A licensed provider can put the numbers in context, and may suggest repeating a test in a later cycle.
Urania's Women's Hormone Panel checks estradiol, progesterone, FSH, LH, DHEA-S, and testosterone in one draw. Order online, then walk in at Quest Diagnostics on the day that fits your cycle.
This guide explains general information and is not medical advice. It doesn't replace a licensed provider reviewing your own history.
