Luteinising Hormone Test (LH Test)

What is the Luteinising Hormone (LH) test?

Various hormones control the sexual development and growth of our bodies. The luteinizing hormone is one of them. The anterior pituitary gland secretes luteinizing hormone. This hormone stimulates ovulation in females, the synthesis of androgen in males, and the onset of puberty in children. Estrogen secretion in girls and testosterone in boys is stimulation in the ovary and testes by this hormone. Other functions include the menstrual cycle control in females. But in certain diseased conditions, LH hormone production may either increase or decrease, affecting the menstrual cycle and fertility in females, sexual ability in males, and delayed puberty in children.

When is the Luteinising Hormone test done?

A doctor may recommend this test when he suspects

• Signs and symptoms of delayed or early puberty
• Infertility in males and females
• Cause of irregular periods in females
• To study ovulation that may help in pregnancy
• To confirm the onset of menopause.
• In males who have a low sperm count
• Couples facing low sex drive

What are the components of the Luteinising Hormone Test?

Luteinising Hormone, or LH, is a blood test that works jointly with follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) to control sexual functions. Therefore it is recommended in combination with an FSH test or other hormone test.

What is the usual range of the Luteinising Hormone Test?

• Men: 1.24 to 7.8 IU/mL.
• Women: 1.68 to 15 IU/mL (follicular face).
• Women: 21.9 to 56.6 IU/mL (midcycle peak)

Low levels of LH indicates

• Anorexia
• Malnutrition
• Stress
• Low testosterone production
• Pituitary disorder

A high level of LH indicates

• Not enough production of steroid hormones is needed for a reproductive process to take place.
• In menopausal women, the level of LH is usually high.

What are the prerequisites for the Luteinising Hormone test?

It is a sample from the vagina, so one needs to follow these instructions

• Avoid taking some medicines like testosterone, hormone therapy, and birth control pills before the test.
• In case of infertility in a woman of childbearing age, the LH test is done on a specific day of the menstrual cycle.
• Avoid taking fluids 2 hours before the test.
• No fasting is required before the test.
• LH test can be taken at any time of the day.
• The results are available within a few hours.