Your Fertility Workup: The Hormone Test

Glow

The hormone test will reveal if your body is sending the necessary signals to your ovaries to create an egg. Hormones control egg development, release, fertilization, and implantation—basically every step is controlled by your hormones, so checking for imbalances is very important!

This test is as simple as a blood draw. But from your blood, the following hormones can be evaluated:

Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)

FSH creates the follicles in your ovaries and are responsible for egg development. Follicles are important because they keep your menstrual cycle working properly, and they represent how many eggs are available to be fertilized.

Luteinizing hormone (LH)

LH is responsible for ovulation, the very important process of releasing the egg from the follicles.

Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH)

TSH is a measure of thyroid function, and the thyroid can influence ovulation and increase chances of miscarriage when it is not working well.

Estrogen, progesterone, and androgens

These hormones are what make your menstrual cycle happen, a process that is preparing the uterus to receive and care for a fertilized egg.

Prolactin

Prolactin is an important hormone that creates breastmilk. However, if the levels are imbalanced, it can also stop ovulation from happening. 

Tips & Hints

The hormone test is an easy one! You will have your blood drawn in one sitting to evaluate all these various hormones, so relax and enjoy knowing that this quick task is gathering a lot of information about your reproductive health!

As with any blood draw, you should stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water for up to a few days before and right up to the test.

If you’re weary of needles, start by letting the lab tech know! These people are well versed in taking blood, and they understand that some people are extra bothered by it and will be extremely gentle if they know it’s an issue. From there, breathe, look away, and sit very still! You might be tempted to hold your breath, but this won’t help if you’re feeling faint! Looking away and sitting still will distract you while ensuring that you get the least number of pokes possible. 

The hormone test is one of a series of tests involved in the infertility workup evaluating a patient for treatment. 

114k views • 172 upvotes • 91 comments

COMMENT (91)

sa

Posted at
I did these tests on 3rd day of period and today i will get the results, hope everything ok

Gr

Grace • Jan 23, 2020
I did this last year august on my 3rd, day,am on medication and hope things will work out well,,,soon i will carry my own baby

Ti

Tina • Mar 20, 2019
My doctor offer this test during my last period said it's best on the 3rd or 4th day of ur period but my job is crappy and I couldn't make for the hrs they where open so if I get AF in April witch I hope I dont I'll go get the test done.

Sa

Safae • Mar 29, 2018
ichae allah

Jo

Posted at
Had my bloods done.. turns out that despite getting LH peak my body is not ovulating ... It’s trying but failing ☹️ Starting infertility testing in Feb...

Ar

Archita • May 18, 2022
How can we know if body is ovulating or not

Jo

Joanna • Sep 3, 2019
Most likely I didn’t ovulate every month just every now and then and I guess we must have been very lucky. That particular month I had LH peak a lot earlier. I thought it was weird but had sex on that day and 3 consecutive days.

Mi

Mia • Sep 3, 2019
So what was the verdict??? How did you get pregnant then 😩👀

Gl

Posted at
I had all this text and my DOC said everything is normal but I don’t know why I can’t get pregnant He then told me to stop stressing myself on getting pregnant it will just happen

Ha

Hayley • Dec 16, 2020
My levels were normal last time I had them checked but I can’t get pregnant. I have chemical pregnancies and miscarry very early. No doctor cares because I’m young (24, almost 25) and think I don’t need another kid.

Ha

Haley • Apr 17, 2020
Do u remember what ur numbers were?

Sh

Shakira • Mar 23, 2020
Same

Sh

Posted at
My doctor did this today a week after ovulation. She said she checks the levels and makes sure everything is where it should be in order for implantation to happen and then we will go from there. I have VERY regular 28 day cycles.

Je

Jennifer • May 28, 2022
Mine did it a few days after ovulation as well. She's mainly looking for imbalances bc I'm always so tired.

Ha

Haley • Apr 17, 2020
Only test that is relevant after ovulation is progesterone & estrogen/ Estradiol

Ha

Haley • Apr 17, 2020
FSH LH and Estradiol should be done day 3

Je

Posted at
I just had my BW done for progesterone last cycle. It was done in CD20 @ 9 or 10dpo. Well I just got the results of 5.2 is that real low??? I didn't even get a call from the Dr in my results, had to find out from my patient portal. I'm currently ready to Ovulate this cycle & I'm on CD12, but my OPK isn't quite there yet. I usually have a positive around now. So now I'm a tad worried. I did decide to try soy isoflavone CD 3-7 in hopes for a stronger Ovulation. Since it mimics Clomid. I'm assuming it may be delaying Ovulation. The only thing that bothers me is that I'm having a slow rise surge. I gotta say it's a fake surge due to OPK's being negative. Has anyone experienced this??

Sa

Sarah • Apr 4, 2020
I got my BW done to check my progesterone levels 7DPO and my level was at 14.67. The dr said that I was ovulating that month. I’m not sure what the range is though to know if you ovulated or not.

Je

Jen • Oct 10, 2019
Sorry just seen your post. Soy Isoflavone can be bought at a pharmacy or GNC store. I recommend you talk to your Dr & see if your Ovulating first. Because taking things may mess up your cycle. Clomid is only prescribed by a doctor. And you can only take that for so long or the risk of cancer can be a high risk. I don'tknow yourback story, but just looking out for ya chicky..😉

Em

Posted at
I’ll be going to do blood work in the next few days if I get my period. I’m hoping I don’t have to go and miss my period instead 🤞🏻

Jo

Posted at
All of my blood work, HSG test and my husband’s semen analysis has been completed. I have a low ovarian reserve and I just found out today that I’m not ovulating. All of my other test with normal. I’ve been taking perinatal, CoQ10, Vitamin D and E. My husband has a low sperm count, sperm abnormalities, and low motility. My husband is taking fertilAid for Men. We have our consultation with the fertility specialist September 2. What can we do in the mean time to conceive? I’m 39, but turn 40 in March and my husband is 45, but turns 46 in April. We are trying for our first baby. We’ve been trying since December 2019.

Jo

Joanna • Jan 1, 2021
My fertility doctor gave me a list of supplements to start taking. Myo-Inositol & D-Chiro was the first thing on the list. My husband has been taking male fertility supplements since September now. As of now my fertility doctor wants my husband and I to focus on weight loss for the next 3 months. We are hoping in April we can start trying again. Thank you for the advice and well wishes.

Jo

Joanna • Jan 1, 2021
No I haven’t. What are the benefits of royal jelly?

Li

Lisa • Nov 17, 2020
Have you tried royal jelly?

ma

Posted at
On the second day in my period I did an fertility test and tomorrow Call my gyn back for results I have so many misscariage (6) and 1 ectopic pregnancy So I am really scared what's wrong with me Please hope for a good results

ma

Posted at
How much does this cost without insurance?

Li

Lisa • Nov 17, 2020
For everyone with insurance...you can go to ultalabtests.com and get these tests from 38 to 150 bucks depending on how many are tested...you just pay and print it out and go to any quest and possibly labcorp locations.. you dont need a prescription because they have drs that approve it..they also usually have discounts and codes to use.

Em

Em • May 3, 2020
That's great!! I spent 785 for blood work that's with insurance. my fertility dr had me get all communicable diseases drawn to to make sure I have immunity.

Na

Natalie 💍🤰🏻👨‍💼 • Jul 22, 2019
Mine was like 150 for all the baseline bloodwork

ni

Posted at
Whenever I try ovulation, there is always a light line, never a dark line, what does that mean?

Ca

Candice • Dec 31, 2020
I believe if that’s an ovulation test. Your producing a small amount of the LH hormone but not ovulating. They will be both the same darkness if close to ovulating. I noticed out of three constant months of testing from day 10-30 I got on month we’re I supposedly ovulated. So it has to be the same darkened line on each