Menopause IconUnderstanding the Diagnosis

Some women do not have menopause symptoms. If you have experienced uterus removal, an endometrial ablation, or an intrauterine device (IUD), then you may not know when you enter perimenopause or menopause.

In these circumstances, menopause may be diagnosed through the following ovarian function tests:

Anti-Müllerian Hormone (AMH) Test+-

An AMH blood level test is used to see how well the ovaries are functioning. AMH is a type of hormone made inside the follicles of the ovaries. When the AMH level is high, it usually means that there are healthy eggs inside the ovaries. As women age and their number of ovarian follicles decrease, their AMH level naturally declines. Testing for AMH level can help determine whether your ovarian function is declining, and it can also help diagnose premature menopause.

Follicle-Stimulating Hormone (FSH)/Estradiol Tests+-

A Follicle-Stimulating Hormone (FSH)/Estradiol blood level test provides information about your levels of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and estradiol (the main hormone made by the ovary). These hormone levels may fluctuate, so results may not be consistent during perimenopause. After menopause, however, estradiol levels are undetectable and the FSH level is high, so checking these hormone levels after menopause can be helpful.

Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG) Test+-

A blood or urine hCG test will determine whether you could be pregnant.

Prolactin Test+-

A prolactin blood level test can rule out the possibility of a prolactin-secreting pituitary tumor that can cause irregular periods.

Thyroid Function Test+-

A thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) blood level test can help rule out the possibility of thyroid issues, which can have very similar symptoms to menopause (for example, fatigue or heat intolerance).