Menopause signals the end of a woman's fertility, generally marked by 12 continuous months without menstruation. The age of menopause varies from one woman to another, typically occurring between 45 and 55, according to Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center. Although signs and symptoms generally suffice in determining that menopause has occurred, doctors and patients may opt for testing to confirm menopause in certain circumstances.
Menopausal Hormone Pattern
Laboratory confirmation of menopause typically involves tests to detect the levels of various reproductive hormones, including follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, progesterone and estrogen. The levels of these hormones normally fluctuate in a predictable pattern with the menstrual cycle. As a woman approaches menopause, her hormone levels vary broadly and unpredictably, notes the National Institute on Aging. With menopause, the reproductive hormone levels stabilize to a steady state.
Gonadotropin Levels
The pituitary gland secretes follicle-stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone. These hormones, known as gonadotropins, stimulate sex hormone production in the ovaries among women and the testes among men. Normal levels of sex hormones slow the pituitary release of gonadotropins. As a woman approaches menopause, the ovaries produce lesser amounts of sex hormones in response to the gonadotropins, explains "The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals." The pituitary responds by releasing increased amounts of the gonadotropins. Elevated gonadotropin levels in the presence of low female sex hormone levels and the absence of menstrual periods for 12 consecutive months confirms that menopause has occurred.
Female Sex Hormone Levels
The levels of the female sex hormones estrogen and progesterone decline as menopause approaches and settle to permanently low levels once the ovaries stop releasing eggs, notes the National Library of Medicine encyclopedia MedlinePlus. Persistently low estrogen and progesterone levels in a woman with elevated gonadotropins and the absence of menstruation for 12 consecutive months confirm the occurrence of menopause.
Test Types
Doctors typically order blood tests conducted by a laboratory to determine gonadotropin, estrogen and progesterone levels. Because the levels of these hormones interrelate, reviewing the results collectively helps the physician determine a woman's reproductive status.
A woman may opt to use an over-the-counter test to detect follicle-stimulating hormone in the urine. Detection of the hormone --- a positive test --- may indicate a woman is approaching, going through or has experienced menopause. A negative test, however, does not necessarily rule out the possibility that a woman is menopausal. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration points out that home-use follicle-stimulating hormone tests prove invalid among women taking oral contraceptives or other types of female hormone therapy.
Misconceptions
Hormone tests provide useful information about a woman's menopausal status. Until a woman has not had a period for 12 consecutive months, however, she may still become pregnant, notes the medical information website WomensHealth.gov. Pregnancy remains a possibility because ovarian function can stop briefly and restart unpredictably during the time leading up to menopause. Sexually active women who do not wish to become pregnant should continue to use contraception until one year has passed without a menstrual period.
