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7400 Fannin St., Suite 1180
Houston, Texas 77054 Phone (713) 790-9900 Fax (713) 790-9901 |
Robert
B. McWilliams, MD
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INFERTILITY MALE
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Why Do I Need All These Blood Tests?WHAT IS ESTRADIOL (E2)? Estradiol is the most potent of three estrogens present in the female. It is manufactured in the ovary throughout the menstrual cycle in cells called granulosa cells. Levels of E2 are normally low in the first few days of your cycle and rise to a peak at mid-cycle. As an egg develops in a follicle on the ovary, the E2 levels rise until they reach a critical level 24 to 36 hours before ovulation. Measuring E2 levels with a simple blood test tells us how well your ovaries function in a natural cycle (without ovulation drugs) or how well your ovaries respond to the drugs you are receiving. Levels will be different from day to day and from cycle to cycle. WHAT IS LH? LH or luteinizing hormone is produced in the anterior pituitary gland located in the brain. It is produced in small amounts throughout the menstrual cycle except just before ovulation when high levels of E2 trigger a large release or a “surge”of this hormone. Ovulation occurs 34 to 36 hours after the onset of the LH surge. LH causes the egg to begin to mature in the follicle before it is released (maturation of the egg is completed when it is fertilized by a sperm). LH also causes the empty follicle (now known as the corpus luteum) to produce progesterone. LH levels are measured with a blood test. Urine tests can also detect the LH surge to determine optimal timing of intercourse for conception. WHAT IS PROGESTERONE (P4)? Progesterone is a hormone produced mainly by the corpus luteum after ovulation. Progesterone prepares and maintains the lining of the uterus (endometrium) for implantation of the fertilized egg. It also plays a role in preventing the mother’s immune system from rejecting the pregnancy. In pregnancy, the corpus luteum produces progesterone until the placenta can produce enough P4 to sustain the pregnancy. This occurs at about 10 weeks gestation. Progesterone can be measured with a blood test. Low levels of progesterone may be supplemented with progesterone suppositories or daily IM injections of progesterone in oil. Return to Infertility and Women's Health Care Articles
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