MARKERS TESTED:
FSH
Oestradiol (17-Beta)
Progesterone
Female Hormone Test
Follicle stimulating hormone is produced by the pituitary gland. It regulates the functions of both the ovaries and testes. Lack or insufficiency of it can cause infertility or subfertility.
Oestradiol is a steroid hormone made from cholesterol and is the strongest of the three naturally produced oestrogens. It is the main oestrogen found in women and has many functions, although it mainly acts to mature and maintain the female reproductive system. Oestradiol levels in women reduce slowly with age, with a large decrease occurring at the menopause when the ovaries switch off.
Progesterone is produced by the corpus luteum and adrenal glands. Together with oestrogen it helps to prepare the body to conceive. Progesterone has other functions in the body including improving fat metabolism, increasing bone density and mood-elevation and it can also act as a natural diuretic. Testing progesterone is an essential first step in investigating infertility.