Menopause

Menopause Diagnosis

Your healthcare provider may be able to diagnose^[13] menopause by coupling your age with the presence or absence of certain symptoms, such as periods that are irregular in frequency or duration and hot flashes. In order to differentiate between the symptoms of perimenopause and menopause, your healthcare provider may request blood tests^[14] to evaluate your levels of the following hormones:

• Anti-müllerian hormone (AMH): Anti-mullerian hormone^[15] originates in the reproductive organs of both males and females. Levels of this hormone can vary based upon age and sex. In the early weeks of pregnancy, AMH production causes the differentiation between XY (male) and XX (female) development. High AMH levels result in a male embryo, while low levels result in a female embryo.

In females, AMH is produced by the ovaries starting at the beginning of puberty. In adolescent and adult females, AMH levels are directly correlated with the number of egg cells remaining in the ovaries. Decreasing AMH levels can help your healthcare provider predict the start of menopause, which usually occurs around the age of 50.

• Estrogen: Estrogen^[16] is a hormone that aids in the development of key primary and secondary female reproductive characteristics. While males also produce estrogen, females produce it in much higher quantities. For this reason, it’s often referred to as the female sex hormone.

Blood estrogen levels may be measured by your healthcare provider to diagnose a variety of conditions, including perimenopause or menopause.

• Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH): A healthcare provider may also order an FSH blood test to confirm the start of menopause. Follicle-stimulating hormone^[17], or FSH, is a hormone that originates in the pituitary gland and aids in sexual development (as well as additional hormone production).

Both males and females produce FSH. In males, it controls sperm production. In females, it works in conjunction with luteinizing hormone to trigger ovulation.

• Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH): This test may be used to determine whether your symptoms are being caused by problems with your thyroid gland. Thyroid-stimulating hormone^[18], or TSH, modulates the hormones involved in metabolism. Low TSH levels may cause hypothyroidism (an underactive thyroid), which can mimic the symptoms of menopause.