The FSH blood test is commonly done in men and women and is a way to be able to work out any infertility problems. This is the way to help to determine if there is a low sperm count in men and to find problems with the menstrual cycle in women. It is commonly used with some other tests to help with the diagnosis of problems.
When is the FSH blood test order?
This is done as a way to work out the infertility problems that a man and woman may be having. This is usually done with other tests, including the LH test. It can also be ordered to help determine the reason why a woman’s cycle has stopped and to determine whether menopause has started.
There are times that the test will also be ordered for children. This is commonly when there is a problem with them entering puberty – usually when they have not or have entered it at a very young age.
This helps to rule out any serious problems linking to genetics and hormones. There may be problems with the pituitary gland or the gonads – the ovaries or testes – which will link to the puberty problems.
The meaning behind the test results
When the results from the FSH blood test come back, there are many different meanings behind the results – these often have to be looked at with the other tests that are done. The first result is often used to help with looking into the failure of the ovaries in women, whether because of the ovaries themselves or due to another disorder. This is usually seen when the levels are higher than normal.
There are a number of reasons why the ovaries would fail. Some of those link to problems during puberty while others are linked to abnormal chromosomal levels, which are seen in syndromes like Turner’s syndrome. Of course, the levels will also rise if a woman has entered menopause.
Low levels in the FSH blood test in women are also linked to ovarian failure but usually when it is linked to other problems, such as something wrong with the pituitary gland. There may also be signs that ovarian cancer is a problem or risk.
Men with the high levels in the test often linked to the testes failure on their own. This is often due to developmental defects, such as chromosomal abnormalities or problems with the gonads. It may also be linked to viral infections, trauma to the tests and even linked to chemotherapy. Low levels are usually linked to secondary problems, including problems with the pituitary gland.
Different levels in children
When the high levels of the FHS blood test are noted in children, this is commonly linked to a secondary problem. This is something that is more commonly noted in girls instead of boys and often leads to premature development. There may be tumors or cysts on the ovaries or testes, or there may be lesions in the nervous system.
Delays in puberty are usually seen by low results. This is something that may be due to a number of problems, including chromosomal problems, cancer, infections and even when there is an eating disorder. However, there are times that the blood tests will come back normal and it means that more tests are required.
