Luteinising Hormone (1) Test

A luteinizing hormone test measures the amount of
Luteinizing hormone(LH)present in a sample of your blood. LH
is produced in our body by the pituitary gland. In women, LH
helps in regulating the menstrual cycle and egg production i.e
ovulation. In men, LH stimulates the production
of testosterone, which plays its part in sperm production.Its
generally done performed to:
1. Detect infertility in both men and women.
2. Diagnose menstrual problems in women.
3. To find a case of early or a late puberty.
4. To see a woman response to medication given for ovulation.

Many medications can alter the results. For example: digitalis, clomiphene, and levodopa,cimetidine. You may be advised to stop taking dosages (including birth control pills) that contain estrogen or progesterone or both for up to four weeks before your LH test. Make sure you give your doctor the complete list of all the prescriptions and counteracting medicines you take ( even herbs and natural substances). Tell your doctor if you have had a test related to a radioactive substance (tracer) in the last week or so for eg: thyroid test or bone scan.

LH in a person depends on his or her age and the stage of sexual development they’re in. In a woman, it also depends on the phase of her menstrual cycle. The urine test to see if a woman is ovulating just finds out if a woman has LH in her body (positive result) or doesn't have LH in her body (negative result).

Normal test results varies from lab to lab. Also, your doctor will evaluate your results based on your health and other factors associated. So a number that shows abnormal range here may still be normal for you. Your doctor will tell what values are normal for you.

During this test, a lab technician will draw blood from a vein,
generally from the inside of your elbow.
The lab assistant will:
1.clean your skin with an antiseptic wipe.
2.place an elastic band around your upper arm to help the vein
swell with blood.
3.insert a needle in the your and collects the required amount
of blood.
4.cover the area with a bandage to stop any bleeding.
5.label your sample and send it to a lab for analysis.