When should a LH hormone test be performed?

The article was professionally consulted by Specialist Doctor II Pham Thi Tuyet Mai - Obstetrician and Gynecologist - Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Vinmec Hai Phong International General Hospital

LH hormone test plays an important role in assessing reproductive health status in men and women, mainly to check for infertility and evaluate pituitary problems. So when is the LH hormone test done?

In the human body, the hormone LH plays a very important role in ensuring a healthy reproductive system. Therefore, when people want to know whether their reproductive health status is normal or not, people often perform LH hormone test.
LH hormone, English name is Luteinizing Hormone, is a very important hormone produced and secreted in the anterior pituitary gland, capable of producing luteal cells to stimulate follicles produced by the pituitary glands. in the brain. Levels of the hormone LH are closely related to fertility, play an important role in controlling the function of the ovaries in women and testes in men, ensuring a healthy reproductive system. strong.

In fact, the female menstrual cycle is divided into 2 main phases, the luteal and the follicular. The hormone LH stimulates the ovaries to produce oestradiol. When LH levels rise in the middle of the cycle, ovulation will occur, if fertilization occurs during this time, the hormone LH will stimulate the corpus luteum, producing progesterone to maintain a growing pregnancy. As women enter menopause, LH levels often rise.
For pregnant women, the body will have hormonal and hormonal changes, so the LH hormone level will go up and down very erratic, depending on the location of each person as well as the diet in the pregnancy. daily rations. If there are abnormal signs during pregnancy, pregnant women should go to the hospital for LH hormone testing to help accurately diagnose health status and have timely treatment. The male hormone LH stimulates the production of testosterone from Leydig cells in the testes. Testosterone will stimulate sperm production and accentuate male sex characteristics such as hair and hair growth, deep voice, etc. LH hormone levels are usually more stable after puberty. then.

Normally, the normal value of LH hormone will be around 20UI/l for testing, and the peak LH concentration at ovulation will be around 40-80 IU/l and last for at least 17 hours. The LH concentration index will be normal in the following stages:
Follicular phase: 1 - 18 (mIU/ml); Mid cycle: 24 – 105 (mIU/ml); Luteal phase: 0.4 – 20 (mIU/ml); Menopause: 15-62 (mIU/ml). In women, when blood LH levels are high, it is most likely to have primary ovarian failure, while low LH levels can be signs of secondary ovarian failure.
Similarly, for men, high levels of LH hormone in the blood can be a sign of testicular disease, while low LH levels can be related to problems with the pituitary gland or hypothalamus .
Science has proven that if women have high LH hormone levels, they are most likely to be infertile and men, vice versa, because the hormone levels are not enough to produce sperm or promote ovulation.

When conducting a LH hormone test, patients do not need to worry and do not need to prepare anything. The testing process will take place very quickly, specifically:
Step 1: The medical staff will collect a blood sample by injecting a needle into a vein on the patient's arm and then attaching it to a test tube to let the blood flow. in, when enough volume is removed, the needle will be removed and a cotton swab will be applied to the area where the blood has been drawn; Step 2: The blood sample is taken for testing and the patient just needs to wait to get the results. The whole process only takes about 2 minutes, after taking blood, the patient may feel a sting at the injection site and leave a bruise on the arm, but this phenomenon is very normal so the patient does not need to worry. .

Because LH is a hormone that helps ensure the safety of the reproductive systems of both men and women, whenever you want to check your reproductive health or evaluate infertility, check for problems related to the gland. If you are quiet, you can perform a test for the hormone LH.
In addition, the doctor can also appoint the patient to perform the LH and FSH hormone test at the same time when:
The body has menstrual disorders or the menstrual cycle does not occur; Men with low testosterone or decreased sex drive, low muscle mass; Symptoms of pituitary disorders such as weight loss, fatigue, muscle weakness, loss of appetite; Those who want to get pregnant and conduct tests to determine the exact time of ovulation. Infertility is a worry that no couple wants to encounter, seriously affecting family happiness. Understanding the legitimate desire to be parents of infertile couples, Vinmec International General Hospital established and put into operation the IVF Reproduction Center.
During the 4 years of operation from November 2014 to November 2018, the Center has assisted reproduction for more than 1000 couples with a clinical pregnancy rate of over 40%. Up to now, IVF Vinmec has become the leading infertility treatment destination chosen by couples.