Follicule-Stimulating Hormone Testing. Your Questions Answered by Internal Specialist, Dr. Mera

What about follicle-stimulating hormone testing?

Sometimes, elevated follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels are measured to confirm menopause. When a woman’s FSH blood level is consistently elevated to 30 mIU/mL or higher, and she has not had a menstrual period for a year, it is generally accepted that she has reached menopause.

However, a single FSH level can be misleading in perimenopause because estrogen production does not fall at a steady rate from day to day. Instead, both estrogen and FSH levels can vary greatly during perimenopause. One elevated FSH level is not enough to confirm menopause. More important, a low FSH level in a woman who is having hot flashes and changing periods does not eliminate the likelihood that she is still in perimenopause. Also, if a woman is using certain hormone therapies (such as birth control pills), a FSH test is not valid.