Early Menopause Test (Blood & Hormone)

What

The Early Menopause Panel measures hormones including follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), estradiol, luteinizing hormone (LH), thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), and prolactin, to help give you insights about your hormone levels.

Who

Women under the age of 45 who are beginning to have changes in their menstrual cycle, have stopped menstruating, or are experiencing symptoms like hot flashes. Must be 18+ years of age to purchase.

How

Blood

Where

Find a location near you

Schedule an appointment, then visit a Quest Diagnostics patient service center location.

About the Test

The Early Menopause Panel measures follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), estradiol, luteinizing hormone (LH), thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), and prolactin levels in the blood to help determine when you’re entering or in the menopause transition phase. This panel may be helpful for women who have a history of irregular menstrual periods and a negative pregnancy test to help you and your doctor decide next steps for handling any symptoms you may be experiencing.

The Early Menopause Panel measures a combination of hormone levels that commonly change during a woman’s transition period, including follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), estradiol, luteinizing hormone (LH), thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), and prolactin. During the menopause transition phase, hormone levels can vary greatly.

FSH is a hormone produced by the pituitary gland that stimulates the ovaries to produce eggs, and it also controls the menstrual cycle. With aging estrogen levels decrease and FSH levels increase. This test measures the level of FSH in your blood. High levels can indicate that you have begun the menopause transition. Irregular periods, hot flashes, sleep disturbances, and changes in the skin or hair can all be symptoms of high FSH levels.

Estradiol is the primary and most potent form of the hormone estrogen. Estrogen is first produced at puberty. Estradiol levels fluctuate throughout the menstrual cycle during your reproductive years but begin to decline during the menopause transition. Most menopausal symptoms like hot flashes occur due to the drop in estrogen levels. A low level of estradiol may indicate the start of the menopause transition.

Luteinizing hormone is another sex hormone produced by the pituitary gland that helps to control the menstrual cycle and triggers ovulation. As estrogen levels decrease with aging, LH levels increase. High levels of LH may indicate the beginning of menopause.

The Thyroid Function Test measures thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels in the blood to evaluate thyroid function, which is critical for regulating weight, energy, body temperature, mood, and overall health. If your TSH levels are abnormally high or low, this may indicate that your thyroid is either underactive (hypothyroidism) or overactive (hyperthyroidism). During menopause, TSH levels can also rise as estrogen decreases. Symptoms of hypothyroidism are similar to those experienced during menopause, so it is important to screen for thyroid disease during this time. If you have severe symptoms, it may be an indication of an underactive thyroid. If test results identify abnormal TSH levels, free thyroxine (T4) blood levels will be tested using your submitted sample at no additional cost to you to provide information needed to help diagnose hypothyroidism.

Prolactin is a hormone produced by the pituitary gland that is responsible for the development of certain breast tissues as well as lactation after giving birth. Levels are high in women who are pregnant or have recently given birth and are normally low all other times. High levels of prolactin can cause irregular periods and hot flashes, similar to menopausal symptoms. Testing prolactin levels can help your doctor determine if you may have other health issues or are in menopause.

The following signs and symptoms may indicate early menopause in women:

Hot flashes or flushes (most common)
Irregular menstrual cycles
Insomnia
Weight gain or bloating
Mood changes
Breast tenderness or pain
Depression
Headaches

Our Early Menopause Panel is for women aged 40-44 who suspect that they are going through or may have already gone through the menopause transition and would like to test their reproductive hormone levels to prepare for meaningful discussions with their physician. See below for the appropriate panel based on age and symptoms. You must be 18 years of age or older to purchase.

If you are having menstrual cycles, it is best to have your sample collected on cycle days 2, 3 or 4 (cycle day 1 is the first day of your period). If you are not having menstrual cycles, the test can be performed at your convenience. You do not need to do anything special to prepare for the sample collection. Fasting is not required for this test.

When your results are ready, we will send them to you in a clear, easy-to-read report. You will have the option to speak with an independent physician to discuss your results. If your results differ from expected ranges, you may receive an alert call to inform you.

The stages of menopause are usually clinically diagnosed by a health care professional based on your symptoms and history. To help you prepare for a discussion with your provider, a template is provided below for you to record the type of symptoms, duration, and severity. Use this, along with your results, to continue the conversation with your primary care physician.

Circle “YES” if you are currently experiencing or have experienced the listed symptom recently and describe the duration, frequency and severity of each in the corresponding text box. Circle “NO” if you are not experiencing the listed symptom.

Use this checklist, along with your lab results, to continue the conversation with your primary care physician.

Symptoms:	Circle:	If "YES", describe durations, frequency, and/or severity:
Hot Flashes	YES NO
Irregular menstrual cycle	YES NO
Insomnia	YES NO
Weight gain or bloating	YES NO
Mood changes	YES NO
Breast tenderness or pain	YES NO
Depression	YES NO
Headaches	YES NO
Other: _______________	YES NO

If thyroid (TSH) is abnormal, then free thyroxine (T4) will be performed on the sample you have already provided.

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After your purchase, schedule an appointment at a nearby Quest Diagnostics location and have your specimen sample collected by a trained healthcare professional.

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Access test results from your phone as soon as they’re available, with the option to discuss your results with an independent physician at no extra cost.

Your results are available on our free, secure patient portal that you can access on your smartphone, tablet, or desktop. You will receive an email notification when your results are ready. You can also share your results with your healthcare provider, family, or friends.

The journey through menopause can be confusing and it’s easy to wonder where you are. Learn more about each stage of the menopause journey here.

FAQs

What is the difference between early menopause, perimenopause, menopause, and post menopause?

Perimenopause is a transition phase where the ovaries start to make less hormones and menopausal symptoms tend to begin. This stage can last anywhere from 2 to 10 years, with an average of five years, and stops when menopause begins.

Menopause is the stage when a woman’s period stops. The ovaries no longer release eggs and estrogen levels become very low. Once a woman has not had a period for 12 straight months, she has gone through menopause. However, it is important to ensure that the lack of periods is not due to another reason (like abnormal thyroid function or the use of birth control pills.)

Early menopause means that you are entering this transition earlier than average. Most women enter perimenopause between the ages of 40 and 44 and enter menopause in their early 50s, however, some can begin earlier.

Post menopause is the time after a woman has gone through menopause. The symptoms that happen during menopause may start to fade away but could continue for a decade or longer in many women.

These tests are to help you and your doctor determine which stage of menopause you may be in or if you have another underlying health problem causing your symptoms.

How do I know if I am in menopause?

You are in perimenopause until you have had no periods for 12 consecutive months without any other underlying causes. Once that has occurred, you have transitioned to menopause. Only a physician can evaluate your symptoms and diagnose menopause.

Will symptoms like hot flashes go away once I have transitioned to menopause?

For most women, their symptoms like hot flashes last through perimenopause, and then subside once they’ve reached post menopause. If you are having symptoms, speak with your doctor about recommended therapies for your personal situation.

What if my menstrual period stops and then starts again?

Menopause is when you have no period for 12 full consecutive months. If one occurs any time short of 12 months, then you are still in perimenopause and the clock begins again. This transition can last anywhere from 2 to 10 years.

Early Menopause Panel

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