Hormone Levels And TTC At 45

by Nicole Elvidge
(VA)

I'm a 45 years old female, who up until March, had very regular periods...every 28-31 days...give or take a day. My period never came in March. After 2 hpt & 1 quantitative hcg test...all negative. I'm very concerned as to why I didn't get my period. I had blood work done & these are my results : estradiol 166,fsh 9.6,LH 11.6,prolactin 7.7,hcg <5. Are my levels possibly keeping me from menstruating & will I be able to conceive?

Thank You

Answer:

Hi Nicole,

Please talk to your doctor about your tests results as there are different scales commonly used to determine hormonal levels in women. Also, the values change depending on when during your menstrual cycle you have done the testing. Most hormonal tests to assess fertility done to check ovarian function are done on day 3 of the menstrual cycle.

I will try to give you a generic answer and hopefully it will give you a better understanding, but truly yours is not a routine fertility test as you have not had a period for a while now and needs to be checked again and correlated with your medical history and other symptoms and medical tests like ultrasound etc.

A normal FSH level is usually between 3 mIU/ml - 10 mIU/ml. Levels greater than 12 mIU/ml may indicate ovarian reserve.
FSH levels by themselves don’t say much unless all the hormone test results are correlated with each other.

For example:

FSH and LH

A normal FSH:LH ratio is 1. If your FSH level is much higher than your LH level, then this suggests poor ovarian reserve. If LH is much higher than FSH, this suggests PCOS. Ovarian reserves can be also examined by doing a AMH test that can be done anytime during the mentrual cycle. This would be more appropriate for your case.

FSH and Estradiol

In a normal cycle, the estradiol levels are initially low; and they gradually rise as the follicle matures. With a single follicle, peak estradiol levels (E2) over 200pg/ml per mature follicle. Taking fertility drugs like Clomid can also increase FSH levels artificially.

Normal prolactin levels in women should be less than 20 ng/ml in order to support ovulation. Increased prolactin levels interfere with ovulation.

Overall your tests results don’t show any particular pattern that can indicate that your ovaries have stopped producing eggs. You are not in menopause with the above values, but you are also not pregnant.

My advice is to consider other factors as well that could have cause this sudden missed period. Consider sudden trauma, loss of loved one, relationship issues, sudden weight loss/gain, moving, higher than usual stress at work, medications, increased physical activity, etc.

There are many factors that can cause delayed ovulation or to skip a cycle when you are 45, but in most cases this resumes regular activity soon.

Yoga exercise and massage is recommended to help improve overall fertility. Yoga helps increase the blood flow to the ovaries and reproductive organs is an easy but very effective way to bring blood to the area.

Also, make sure to follow a healthy diet by adding a fertility smoothie to your daily routine. Fertility smoothies are rich in superfoods that support ovarian function, stimulate ovulation and increase fertility.

Fertility Blessings!