Sex Hormones & Fertility
Testosterone, estrogen, progesterone, the pituitary signals that control them, and fertility markers.
17 tests explained
Most common tests
- Estradiol (E2)The main estrogen in women of childbearing age. It rises and falls through the menstrual cycle and drops after menopause.
- Follicle-Stimulating Hormone (FSH)A pituitary hormone that helps run the menstrual cycle in women and sperm production in men. It rises after menopause.
- Luteinizing Hormone (LH)A pituitary hormone that triggers ovulation in women and tells the testes to make testosterone in men. It surges mid-cycle.
- Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin (SHBG)A protein made by your liver that carries testosterone and estradiol in your blood. It helps set how much of each hormone is free to act.
- Testosterone, FreeThe small part of your testosterone that isn't attached to proteins. Results depend heavily on the lab method, so compare only with a range for the same method.
- Testosterone, TotalCounts all the testosterone in your blood, both free and protein-bound. Usual levels differ a lot by sex, age and the time of day of the draw.
Common follow-up tests
- AndrostenedioneA hormone made by the adrenal glands and by the ovaries or testes. The body turns it into testosterone and estrogen.
- Anti-Mullerian Hormone (AMH)A hormone made by small growing follicles in the ovaries. It reflects how many are growing and is used as a clue to ovarian reserve.
- Dihydrotestosterone (DHT)A strong androgen made from testosterone, mostly inside tissues such as the prostate, skin and hair follicles. It is a specialist test.
- Estrone (E1)A weaker estrogen made by the ovaries and by fat tissue. It is the main estrogen after menopause.
- Free Androgen Index (FAI)A calculated estimate of how much testosterone is free to act, found by dividing total testosterone by SHBG.
- hCG, Qualitative (Serum Pregnancy Test)A blood test that says only whether hCG, the pregnancy hormone, is present above the test's cutoff. It is reported as positive or negative.
- hCG, Qualitative (Urine Pregnancy Test)A urine test that says only whether hCG, the pregnancy hormone, is present above the test's cutoff. It is reported as positive or negative.
- hCG, Total, Quantitative (Beta-hCG)The pregnancy hormone, measured as a number. It rises quickly in early pregnancy, so a trend over days tells more than a single value.
- ProgesteroneA hormone made after ovulation that prepares the uterus for a pregnancy. A mid-luteal level is often used to check whether ovulation happened.
- ProlactinA pituitary hormone that helps the breasts make milk after birth. In people who aren't pregnant or breastfeeding, levels are normally low.
- Testosterone, BioavailableThe part of your testosterone that isn't tightly bound to SHBG, so it is free or loosely held by albumin. It is ordered less often than total testosterone.