The menopause blood test kit is a home blood test kit. You will need to provide a small blood sample taken through a finger prick. The sample will be sent to one of our partner labs and analysed.

The menopause blood test kit measures the level of a hormone in your blood called follicle stimulating hormone (FSH). FSH is one of a few hormones that are involved in regulating the menstrual cycle.

FSH levels will change when you go through the menopause because you won’t be having periods anymore. So, measuring the FSH level can be a useful way to tell whether you’re going through the menopause.

Please note: In the period of time leading up to the menopause - the peri-menopause, your FSH levels can fluctuate day by day, sometimes being normal, and sometimes high. This means that it can be difficult to interpret this result.

What do menopause test kits check for?

A blood test can be used to check your follicle stimulating hormone (FSH). Some blood tests will also check your oestrogen levels. Typically, your FSH levels will increase during menopause, whereas your oestrogen levels will decrease. By checking your FSH level, a doctor is likely to be able to tell you if you are menopausal.

What are FSH levels?

FSH (follicle stimulating hormone) is a hormone which stimulates the growth of eggs and helps control the menstrual cycle. It is produced by the pituitary gland. High FSH levels may indicate that you have started menopause or are in perimenopause.

What is a normal FSH level?

Normal FSH (follicle stimulating hormone) levels differ based on an individual’s age and sex. Typically, an adult woman who has not started menopause yet will show under 30 mIU/mL in an FSH blood test.

What’s the difference between a menopause test and a urine test?

Both a menopause blood test and urine test will measure your FSH (follicle stimulating hormone) levels, but urine tests are only conducted in the USA. Their accuracy is very similar, and the only real difference is the method of testing. Superdrug Online Doctor does not currently offer urine tests for FSH levels.

Your hormones do change as you start to go through the perimenopause. However, as you go through the perimenopause your FSH levels can go up and down dramatically. Sometimes, your FSH can even drop back to levels which are normally seen in non-menopausal women.

So, the menopause blood test kit is less accurate if you think you might be going through the perimenopause. A single blood test isn’t enough to know for sure, so a doctor would normally take a lot of other factors into consideration.

If you get a negative test result but you are having menopause symptoms, it could be a sign of perimenopause.

The home test kit can accurately measure your FSH levels, but the results of the test itself can be difficult to interpret. Your Superdrug Online Doctor will give you advice to go with your test results though, so you can be sure of what to do about them.

In the same way that every woman’s menstrual cycles are different to each other, the way hormone levels change as a woman goes through the menopause will also be very individual.

Also, FSH is one of a few hormones that play a part in regulating the menstrual cycle. So, there are a lot of other factors to consider when interpreting the results of the test.

There are certain factors that make this test less accurate. When you place you order we'll ask you to confirm you understand these factors, and whether you still want to place your order. They include if you're using HRT or hormonal contraception and if you've had your ovaries or womb removed.

Menopause usually happens between the ages of 45 to 60, though it’s most likely to happen when you’re around 51 years old.

You might experience symptoms associated with going through the menopause. These symptoms can include:

• hot flushes
• night sweats
• dryness in the vagina
• discomfort when having sex
• difficulty sleeping
• low mood
• anxiety
• low sex drive
• problems with concentration and memory

The menopause is only diagnosed when you haven’t had a period in at least a year. But, if you haven’t had a period for over six months and you’re experiencing the symptoms listed above, you’re quite likely to be going through the menopause. It might be worth getting a menopause test at this point.

You can have these symptoms even if you’re still having periods. This stage is called the perimenopause. Unfortunately, the menopause blood test kit is less accurate for women who are going through the perimenopause so it might not be right for you.

You can buy a menopause blood test through Superdrug’s Online Doctor service. Follow these steps:

• Fill out a short online assessment about your health and lifestyle which will take a few minutes to complete
• Place an order for your menopause test kit
• Your order will be sent to your preferred address by post.

When to take your test – if you're still having periods, you need to take this test on day 3 of your period.

Your menopause test includes three lancets and a collection tube. To use your test kit, follow these instructions:

• Wash your hands with warm, soapy water. You might find it more difficult to do the test if your hands are cold
• Dry your hands thoroughly
• Use one of the swabs included in the kit to clean the fingertip that you would like to use. We recommend that you use the middle or ring finger of your non-dominant hand (not the one you write with). Wait until the finger feels dry
• Twist and remove the purple sticks from one lancet, place it in the middle of your fingertip, and press the purple button at the end
• A small drop of blood should start to form on your fingertip. Don’t worry if this doesn’t work the first time as there are three lancets included with your kit
• Use a clean tissue to wipe the first drop of blood away, then angle your finger downwards and massage the sides of your fingertip to form another drop of blood
• Use your other hand to squeeze the fingertip to drop the blood sample into the collection tube. You should fill the tube to the upper line. If you can’t get enough blood to fill the tube, use the additional lancets on another finger and repeat steps three to seven
• Use the plaster included in the kit to cover your fingertip
• Put the lid on to the collection tube and twist the lid several times to shut tightly
• Place your details on the sticky label. This is an important step as our partner lab won’t be able to do your test otherwise. Place the labelled collection tube into the protective wallet, and the wallet into the prepaid envelope

A doctor will send you a message to your Superdrug Online Doctor patient account with your results, with an explanation of what your results mean and next steps you can take. We will never send your results by email or by SMS.

When will I get my results?

All test results will typically be available 2 to 3 days after your sample has been received. If you do not receive your test results after 3 days, please contact our Patient Care.

What do my results mean?

In women, high FSH (follicle stimulating hormone) levels may indicate that you have:

• Started menopause or are in perimenopause
• A problem with your ovaries, such as primary ovarian insufficiency (PVI) or polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
• Turner syndrome - a disorder which affects sexual development

Low levels may mean that:

• Your ovaries are not making enough eggs
• Your pituitary gland is not functioning correctly
• You are very underweight

What should I do when I get my results?

If your results indicate unusual levels of FSH (follicle stimulating hormone), our doctors will advise you on what to do next. If your FSH levels are high, this may mean that you have started menopause or are in perimenopause. If you are experiencing menopause symptoms, you may want to consider hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to help manage them.

If you find the symptoms of the menopause bothersome, you might want to think about hormone replacement therapy (HRT). HRT can help relieve symptoms of the menopause.

You can also choose to do nothing. The menopause is a normal part of ageing, so if you can tolerate the symptoms of the menopause that you’re experiencing, the menopause test can simply give you peace of mind by confirming that you’re going through the menopause.