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What is Luteinizing Hormone (LH)?
LH is
an acronym which stands for Luteinising Hormone.
Hormones are chemicals in your body that are made in one
place and are used in another. As the name suggests, LH
is responsible for luteinising the mature follicle in
your ovaries after ovulation. It is one of the two
gonadotropins
(so called because it stimulates the gonads), the
other being its partner, FSH, which stands for follicle
stimulating hormone. LH and FSH are secreted by the
pituitary gland, a small pea-shaped gland below the base
of your brain.
LH is necessary for fertility. In women, LH helps
regulate ovulation. In men, LH helps the testes to make
and secrete testosterone.
LH levels vary during the menstrual cycle, and peak
prior to ovulation. In fact, it is the surge of LH
production ( called the LH surge) which induces
ovulation in a normal woman. It is this LH surge which
is measured by the home ovulation test kits ( OPKs,
ovulation prediction kits) which check for LH levels in
the urine.
What is the Luteinizing Hormone Test?
The LH test is a simple blood test . It is typically
measured on Day 3, along with the
FSH test and the
estradiol test.
What do the Results Mean?
On Day 3, normal LH values are between
3 and 10 mIU/mL. LH levels can also be artificially
raised by ovulation inducing drugs such as clomiphene
citrate ( clomid).
Low levels of LH ( less than 2 mIU/ml) are found in a
condition called hypogonadotropic hypogonadism. Women on
birth control pills as well as pregnant women also have
low levels of FSH.
LH levels are usually interpreted in conjunction with
the FSH levels. Normally, the ratio is 1, which means
the FSH level and LH level are approximately the same.
In patients with
polycystic
ovarian disease ( PCOD) , this ratio is reversed;
and patients with PCOD typically have a high LH level
and a normal FSH level. This is called a reversal of the
FSH:LH ratio; and in patients with PCOD it is 2 or
more.
Need help in interpreting the results ?
Need help in making sense of your lab results ?
Please enter your lab values and your clinical details
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