Experiencing Menopause and adjusting with this new phase of life can be difficult for women as this is associated with some other medical irregularities like menstrual disorder, depression, sleeplessness, hot flashes and night sweats. Not knowing clearly the causes of such irregularities also raises frustration and irritation in the women suffering from these conditions. At this stage, it becomes important to determine whether these symptoms are an indication of the forthcoming menopause or due to some other reasons so that remedial measures can be taken in the later case. A test of FSH level can be helpful to determine this.
Defining FSH
FSH is the abbreviation of ‘follicle-stimulating hormone’. This hormone stimulates growth and pubertal functions in men and women. It also regulates the reproductive process in the human body. These hormones also control ovulation. A higher level of FSH triggers the release of eggs and increase of estrogen.
Relation between FSH Levels and Menopause
A higher level of FSH triggers ovulation in which eggs are generated by the ovary. This decreases the level of FSH and increases the level of estrogen. In a woman suffering from menopause, the ovulation process is stopped; therefore, the level of FSH always remains higher than normal.
Menopause is directly linked with a reduction in estrogen. This signals pituitary glands to generate more FSH. But even this increased level of FSH does not induce the ovulation to generate eggs and to produce more estrogen as the menopause has stopped this cycle. This explains why the level of FSH in a woman nearing menopause or suffering from symptoms of menopause always remains high and the FSH level test is a sure indication of menopause.
FSH Test
There can be two types of ovarian failure. The primary ovarian failure is the failure of the ovarian themselves. The secondary ovarian failure may be due to malfunctioning of the hypothalamus and pituitary gland. FSH test is used to determine the type of ovarian failure and to know if a woman is suffering from premenopausal indications. Beside menopause, infertility, ovarian cyst and polycystic ovarian syndrome can also lead to a high level of FSH.
The acceptable level of FSH for women is between5-25. If the level is more than 25, the woman is approaching menopause and if it is 50 or more, the woman has suffered menopause. The ladies in reproductive periods should know that the quantity of FSH can vary due to the menstrual cycle. Therefore this test should not be taken earlier than the third day of the menstrual cycle.
To Conclude…
From the above we can conclude that the FHS level can be used to determine the various causes of menstrual cycle disorder. The link between the FSH and menopause make it a special tool to determine whether a woman is suffering from symptoms of menopause or not. This can also provide some peace of mind to the women by knowing the sure cause of their problems i.e. is these because of menopause or due to some other reason which can be cured by other treatments.
