LH test

Any other names for this test?

Lutropin, luteinizing Hormone levels test, interstitial cell stimulating hormone

What is an LH test?

A luteinizing hormone (LH) test helps to measure the amount of luteinizing hormone in your blood. Luteinizing hormone encourages functions and processes of your sexual health, development, and reproduction. LH develops by your pituitary gland, a small gland located at the base of your head. The pituitary gland helps to release LH when the ovulation of the menstrual cycle comes in women. Ovulation is the phase in the menstrual cycle where an ovary releases an egg. It occurs between 2-3 weeks of the menstrual cycle. LH informs the testes (a male reproductive organ) to produce testosterone in men.

An LH test can determine fertility issues or irregular periods in both men and women. High or low LH levels can lead to problems, such as infertility (lack of ability to become pregnant), difficulty in the menstrual cycle, lack of sex ability in men, and too early or delayed puberty. In children, LH levels are low in their early childhood but start to rise before the beginning of puberty.

What is the purpose of this test?

A luteinizing hormone test can determine any problems in and sexual development of a person. This test monitors and diagnoses the disorder of the pituitary gland. Your pituitary gland contains two hormones essential to maintain and regulate the reproductive system. These hormones are luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). The functions of these organs signal your sex organs (ovaries or testes) to work for the health of the reproductive system. An FSH test often performs with an LH test.

When do I need this test?

If you see symptoms of pituitary gland disorder, you may need to take this test. Symptoms of pituitary disorder include:
 

• Low appetite
• Losing weight
• Weakness
• Fatigue

Your healthcare provider recommends the luteinizing hormone test if you are a woman because:
 

• Lack of ability to get pregnant after 12 months of effort.
• Irregular or disturbed menstrual cycle - A bleeding process in women during their period. 
• Your periods have ended. This test may suggest identifying whether you have passed the phase of menopause or are in perimenopause. Menopause is a specific time in which the menstrual cycle for a woman completes after she cannot become pregnant. Perimenopause is the intermediate or transition period earlier than menopause.

If you are a man, you may need to order the LH test if you have:
 

• Difficulty getting your partner pregnant after 12 months of effort.
• A low or decreased ability for sex drive.
• Low testosterone levels.

Your provider may recommend this test to your child if puberty does not appear at the right age. You can visit here to book an order for the LH test.

What is the procedure for an LH test?

A luteinizing hormone test is a blood test that requires a blood sample. You need to follow these steps:
 

• Visit the laboratory after scheduling an online order for this test.
• Sit in front of your provider and remove your part of the cloth from one arm.
• Your provider will inject a small needle into the vein in your arm.
• A small amount of blood will collect in a test tube.
• Your blood sample will keep at the laboratory for examination.
• Regular activities can resume after the test.
• This test usually finishes in five minutes.

How do I need to prepare for this test?

You do not need specific preparation for the LH test. You can inform me about medicines, vitamins, and supplements you use. Your provider may ask women to schedule an online test at a specific time if they have not passed through menopause.

What are the risks of this test?

A luteinizing hormone test is a blood test that does not have high risks. You can experience slight pain when the needle injects into his veins. The other low risks may include:

● Low bleeding
● Bruising
● Infection
● lightheaded feeling

What do the LH test results mean?

You may receive the luteinizing hormone test results within a few days. The recommended test results may vary on gender and age.

For women, the recommended results before menopause and after menopause are 5 to 25 international units per liter (IU/L) and 14.2 to 52.3 (IU/L), respectively. The values for LSH will be higher during the middle of the menstrual cycle.

The recommended results for men are 1.8 to 8.6 IU/L. LSH levels are usually low in children.

The test results may differ slightly among laboratories. It is because laboratories may use different methods to get the results. You should always consult a verified doctor to review your results for the LSH test.

Abnormal high levels of LSH in women during the menstrual cycle may mean these conditions:
 

• You are in menopause.
• You have a problem with the pituitary gland or polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). PCOS is a disease in which ovaries develop high amounts of androgen, a male sex hormone.
• Turner syndrome - A genetic disorder often leads to infertility and sexual development.

Low LH levels in women may indicate:

• Problems with the pituitary gland.
• Bad eating disorder
• Malnutrition (deficiency or excess of nutrients)

High LHS levels in men occur due to
 

• Low testosterone levels. Your testicles may damage due to radiation, infection, or chemotherapy.
• Klinefelter syndrome is a genetic disease that often causes infertility and sexual development in males.

In men, low LH levels may indicate that you have a pituitary gland disorder or hypothalamus (part of the brain) disease (. It can result in less production of testosterone.

High LH levels with FSH levels in children may indicate that puberty comes earlier. If puberty happens before age 9 in a girl or before age 10 in a boy, this shows a disorder of the central nervous system and brain injury.
Low LH and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels in children may show delayed puberty. Reasons for delayed puberty are:
 

• Infection
• Ovaries or testicles disorder
• Deficiency of hormone
• Bad eating habits
• Turner syndrome in girls
• Klinefelter’s syndrome in boys

What additional tests may I need along with the luteinizing hormone test?

Your healthcare provider may suggest a follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) test with an LH test.