Women's Hormone Test Panel — Expanded

About this test

This expanded women's hormone panel adds progesterone, thyroid hormones (Free T4 and Free T3), and thyroid antibodies to the basic hormone panel — providing a thorough evaluation of both reproductive and thyroid hormonal health. It's appropriate for women with significant or complex hormonal symptoms, those being evaluated for fertility, or those where autoimmune thyroid disease is suspected.

This panel is particularly useful for women who have already had basic hormone testing and need a more complete picture, or for those whose symptoms suggest a complex interplay between reproductive hormones and thyroid function.

Components

• FSH (Follicle-Stimulating Hormone): Governs egg development and cycle timing. Elevated FSH in a reproductive-age woman may signal reduced ovarian reserve.
• LH (Luteinizing Hormone): Triggers ovulation. The LH/FSH ratio helps diagnose PCOS; elevated LH with a high LH:FSH ratio is a classic feature.
• Estradiol (E2): The primary reproductive estrogen. Levels vary through the cycle; very low levels may explain hot flashes or infertility.
• Progesterone: Produced after ovulation by the corpus luteum. A mid-luteal phase progesterone level (typically day 21 of a 28-day cycle) confirms whether ovulation actually occurred. Consistently low progesterone can contribute to irregular cycles and is associated with difficulty maintaining early pregnancy.
• Testosterone (Total): An androgen important for libido, energy, and mood in women. Both excess and deficiency have recognizable clinical effects.
• DHEA-S: An adrenal androgen precursor. Elevated in many women with PCOS or adrenal overactivity; low levels contribute to reduced energy and libido.
• Prolactin: Elevated prolactin disrupts the hormonal cycle that drives ovulation, causing irregular or absent periods. Can indicate a benign pituitary growth (prolactinoma).
• TSH (Thyroid Stimulating Hormone): The most sensitive thyroid screen. Thyroid dysfunction commonly disrupts periods, fertility, and energy in women.
• Free T4: Directly measures the main thyroid hormone in circulation. Tested when TSH is abnormal to assess thyroid hormone sufficiency.
• Free T3 (Triiodothyronine): The biologically active form of thyroid hormone at the tissue level. Useful when symptoms of thyroid dysfunction persist despite normal TSH and Free T4 — particularly relevant in women with autoimmune thyroid disease.

Who is this test for?

This panel is best suited for women who have already done basic hormone testing and want a more detailed assessment, or for those working with a provider on more complex hormonal concerns such as PCOS, unexplained infertility, or persistent symptoms despite treatment. It provides a broader view of the hormonal interactions that influence reproductive and overall health.