The short answer
FSH is a hormone from the brain that tells the ovaries to grow eggs and the testes to make sperm.1 As the egg supply runs down, FSH rises.6 Over 40, an FSH above 25 mIU/mL early in the cycle strongly suggests the menopause transition has begun, though there’s no exact cutoff.3
- A normal result
- On Labcorp’s test, 3.5 to 12.5 mIU/mL in the first half of your cycle, 25.8 to 134.8 after menopause and 1.5 to 12.4 for men.1
Check your result
Type the number from your report. It stays on this page.
- Low Under 3.5
- Typical 3.5 to 12.5
- Raised 12.6 to 25.0
- High 25.1 or more
- Below the POI range Under 25.1
- POI range 25.1 or more
- Lower than usual after menopause Under 25.8
- Typical after menopause 25.8 to 134.8
- Above range after menopause 134.9 or more
- Low Under 1.5
- Normal 1.5 to 7.6
- Upper normal 7.7 to 12.4
- High 12.5 or more
Enter your result to see what it means and what to do next.
Got a result from another lab? Ask Picardo about it. The app explains your results, and a physician can follow up.
Ranges from Labcorp.1 The 25 line comes from the international POI guideline, ASRM and the European menopause guideline.3,4,7 The 7.6 line for men comes from the US male infertility guideline.8 The bar isn’t to scale.
Low for days 2 to 5
Your FSH is below Labcorp’s range for early in the cycle.1 Hormonal contraception can push it down.4 If your periods have stopped, a low or normal FSH with a low estradiol points to the brain turning down its signal to the ovaries, as in hypothalamic amenorrhea.7 Less often, a problem with the pituitary gland lowers FSH and LH together.1
Not a worry on its own if your periods are regular. If they’ve stopped, see a clinician.
- 1 Check estradiol, LH and prolactin, ideally from the same draw.1,7
- 2 If you take hormonal contraception, the result can’t be read against these ranges.5
Typical for days 2 to 5
Your FSH is in Labcorp’s range for early in the cycle.1 That’s reassuring, but it doesn’t settle everything. FSH swings in the years before menopause, so a normal result doesn’t rule out perimenopause.3 And it doesn’t prove a good egg reserve: a high FSH is a specific sign of a low reserve but not a sensitive one, so many women with a lower reserve have a normal FSH.6
Nothing to worry about.
Above the lab’s range for days 2 to 5
Your FSH is above Labcorp’s range for early in the cycle.1 It can mean a lower egg reserve or the start of the menopause transition.3,6 FSH varies from cycle to cycle, so one raised result isn’t reliable on its own, and ASRM doesn’t set a single FSH cutoff for egg reserve.6
Not urgent. It matters most if you’re trying to get pregnant or planning to.
- 1 Ask about AMH, a more sensitive test of egg reserve that can be done on any day of your cycle.6,7
- 2 If you’re trying to conceive, a raised FSH shouldn’t rule you out of fertility treatment.7
High: the menopause transition, or ovaries slowing early
If you’re 40 to 45, an FSH over 25 early in the cycle strongly suggests you’re in the menopause transition, though the European guideline notes that an exact cutoff is hard to define.3 At 45 or over with symptoms, it fits the transition, which guidelines diagnose without a blood test.2 Under 40, with periods that have been irregular or absent for 4 months or more, it’s in the range for premature ovarian insufficiency.4
If you’re under 40, see a clinician in the next few weeks. Over 40, it isn’t urgent, but worth talking through.
Below the range for premature ovarian insufficiency
This result doesn’t point to premature ovarian insufficiency, which needs an FSH over 25.4 FSH can swing, though,3 so if yours is close to 25, a repeat in 4 to 6 weeks is reasonable.4 Irregular or missing periods have other common causes. A low or normal FSH with a low estradiol points to hypothalamic amenorrhea, which can follow weight loss or hard exercise. With a normal estradiol, PCOS is the usual next question. Thyroid problems and a high prolactin are other causes.7
Not urgent, but missing periods are worth seeing a clinician about.
- 1 Check estradiol, prolactin and thyroid. Clinicians rule out pregnancy first.7
- 2 If your estradiol is normal, ask about PCOS.7
In the range for premature ovarian insufficiency
Premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) means the ovaries slow down before 40. The international guideline diagnoses it from at least 4 months of irregular or absent periods plus one FSH over 25, a good-practice point rather than a graded recommendation.4 Others ask for more: NICE wants two raised results 4 to 6 weeks apart, and ACOG usually looks for 30 to 40 and repeats it after a month.2,5
See a clinician in the next few weeks. It’s treatable, and the international guideline recommends hormone therapy until the usual age of menopause to lower long-term health risks, including to your heart.4
- 1 Rule out pregnancy first.4
- 2 Ask about a repeat FSH in 4 to 6 weeks, with estradiol. If the result is borderline, AMH can help.4
- 3 If you take the pill, you may need to stop it before POI can be confirmed.4
Typical for after menopause
Your FSH is in Labcorp’s range for after menopause. Once the ovaries stop making estrogen, FSH rises and stays high.1
Nothing to worry about.
- 1 At 45 or over, menopause is diagnosed from your periods and symptoms, not from this number, so a recheck won’t change the diagnosis.2
Above Labcorp’s range for after menopause
Your FSH is above Labcorp’s range for after menopause.1 FSH comes in pulses, so a single result can mislead.1
Not a worry on its own.
- 1 If you feel well, ask a clinician whether it needs a repeat.
Lower than usual for after menopause
Hormone therapy and other hormone treatments can push FSH down.4,5 If your periods stopped recently, you may still be in the menopause transition, when FSH swings and a lower number doesn’t rule menopause out.3 Rarely, a problem with the pituitary gland keeps FSH and LH low.1
Not a worry on its own, especially on hormone therapy.
- 1 If you’re not on hormones and your last period was more than a year ago, ask a clinician whether LH and a pituitary check make sense.1
Low for a man
With a low testosterone, a low FSH points to the pituitary or hypothalamus, the parts of the brain that signal the testes. This is called secondary hypogonadism.9 Testosterone treatment and anabolic steroids also shut down the brain’s signal to the testes, and with it sperm production.8,9
Not urgent. Worth seeing a clinician, especially if you have symptoms of low testosterone or want children.
- 1 Check morning testosterone and LH.9
- 2 If you want children, don’t start testosterone. It lowers sperm production.8
Normal for a man
Your FSH is in the normal range.1 If your testosterone is low, though, a normal FSH can be “inappropriately normal” and still point to the pituitary or hypothalamus.9
Nothing to worry about.
- 1 No action needed for FSH itself.
- 2 A normal FSH doesn’t guarantee normal sperm production. A semen analysis is the test for that.8
Normal on your report, but high for fertility
Labcorp counts up to 12.4 as normal.1 But in men being checked for infertility, the US male infertility guideline treats an FSH above about 7.6 as a sign of a problem with sperm production, even inside the lab’s range.8
Not a worry for your general health. It matters if you’re trying to have children.
High for a man
A high FSH means the brain is pushing hard because the testes aren’t responding. With a low testosterone, that’s primary hypogonadism: the problem is in the testes themselves. Causes include Klinefelter syndrome, undescended testes, some chemotherapy, radiation to the testes and injury.9 It usually means sperm production is impaired too.8
Not urgent, but see a clinician, especially if you want children.
- 1 Check testosterone, ideally in the morning.9
- 2 If you’re trying to conceive, get a semen analysis. When FSH is high and the count is very low or zero, guidelines recommend genetic tests.8
What is a normal FSH level?
What’s normal depends on the day of your cycle, whether you’ve been through menopause and whether you’re a man or a woman. These ranges come from Labcorp, with the lines guidelines draw on top:1,3,4,8
Low for days 2 to 5
Your FSH is below Labcorp’s range for early in the cycle.1 Hormonal contraception can push it down.4 If your periods have stopped, a low or normal FSH with a low estradiol points to the brain turning down its signal to the ovaries, as in hypothalamic amenorrhea.7 Less often, a problem with the pituitary gland lowers FSH and LH together.1
Not a worry on its own if your periods are regular. If they’ve stopped, see a clinician.
Typical for days 2 to 5
Your FSH is in Labcorp’s range for early in the cycle.1 That’s reassuring, but it doesn’t settle everything. FSH swings in the years before menopause, so a normal result doesn’t rule out perimenopause.3 And it doesn’t prove a good egg reserve: a high FSH is a specific sign of a low reserve but not a sensitive one, so many women with a lower reserve have a normal FSH.6
Nothing to worry about.
Above the lab’s range for days 2 to 5
Your FSH is above Labcorp’s range for early in the cycle.1 It can mean a lower egg reserve or the start of the menopause transition.3,6 FSH varies from cycle to cycle, so one raised result isn’t reliable on its own, and ASRM doesn’t set a single FSH cutoff for egg reserve.6
Not urgent. It matters most if you’re trying to get pregnant or planning to.
High: the menopause transition, or ovaries slowing early
If you’re 40 to 45, an FSH over 25 early in the cycle strongly suggests you’re in the menopause transition, though the European guideline notes that an exact cutoff is hard to define.3 At 45 or over with symptoms, it fits the transition, which guidelines diagnose without a blood test.2 Under 40, with periods that have been irregular or absent for 4 months or more, it’s in the range for premature ovarian insufficiency.4
If you’re under 40, see a clinician in the next few weeks. Over 40, it isn’t urgent, but worth talking through.
Typical for after menopause
Your FSH is in Labcorp’s range for after menopause. Once the ovaries stop making estrogen, FSH rises and stays high.1
Nothing to worry about.
- 1 At 45 or over, menopause is diagnosed from your periods and symptoms, not from this number, so a recheck won’t change the diagnosis.2
Low for a man
With a low testosterone, a low FSH points to the pituitary or hypothalamus, the parts of the brain that signal the testes. This is called secondary hypogonadism.9 Testosterone treatment and anabolic steroids also shut down the brain’s signal to the testes, and with it sperm production.8,9
Not urgent. Worth seeing a clinician, especially if you have symptoms of low testosterone or want children.
Normal for a man
Your FSH is in the normal range.1 If your testosterone is low, though, a normal FSH can be “inappropriately normal” and still point to the pituitary or hypothalamus.9
Nothing to worry about.
- 1 No action needed for FSH itself.
- 2 A normal FSH doesn’t guarantee normal sperm production. A semen analysis is the test for that.8
High for a man
A high FSH means the brain is pushing hard because the testes aren’t responding. With a low testosterone, that’s primary hypogonadism: the problem is in the testes themselves. Causes include Klinefelter syndrome, undescended testes, some chemotherapy, radiation to the testes and injury.9 It usually means sperm production is impaired too.8
Not urgent, but see a clinician, especially if you want children.
What is FSH?
Think of FSH as the brain pressing the accelerator on your ovaries or testes. When they respond well, they send hormones back that ease the pedal off. When they respond less, the brain presses harder, and FSH rises.1,6
FSH, short for follicle-stimulating hormone, is made by the pituitary gland at the base of the brain. In women, it grows the follicles that hold eggs, and those follicles make estrogen. In men, it drives sperm production.1
As the egg supply falls with age, the ovaries make less of the hormones that hold FSH down, so it rises.6 That’s why FSH is used to spot the menopause transition and, less reliably, a lower egg reserve.3,6
Do you need an FSH test for menopause?
Not if you’re 45 or over and have typical symptoms. NICE in the UK and the European Society of Endocrinology both say menopause and perimenopause are diagnosed from symptoms and periods at that age, without blood tests.2,3
Between 40 and 45, or under 40, FSH can help confirm it.2,3 The European guideline suggests testing on days 2 to 5 of your cycle, or after more than 40 days without a period. A result over 25 strongly suggests the transition has started. But FSH swings so much at this stage that a normal result doesn’t rule it out, and a second test 4 to 6 weeks later may be needed.3
Don’t use FSH to check for menopause if you take combined hormonal contraception or a high-dose progestogen. The hormones change the result.2,5
What does FSH say about fertility?
Less than you might think. A high FSH early in the cycle is a specific sign of a lower egg reserve, but not a sensitive one, and it varies from cycle to cycle.6
Egg reserve tests, FSH included, aren’t fertility tests for women who haven’t had trouble conceiving. In a study of 750 women aged 30 to 44 trying for a baby, those with an FSH over 10 were as likely to get pregnant over a year as the others.6
If you’re being checked for infertility, ASRM, the US fertility society, advises testing FSH and estradiol together on days 2 to 4, and says AMH is the better marker of ovarian age.7 Reserve tests mainly help predict how your ovaries will respond to fertility drugs, and shouldn’t be used to turn anyone away from treatment.7
What is premature ovarian insufficiency?
Premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) is when the ovaries slow down or stop before 40. Recent studies put it at about 3.5% of women.4
Guidelines agree it needs irregular or missing periods plus a raised FSH, but differ on the details:
| Guideline | Periods | FSH |
|---|---|---|
| International (ESHRE, ASRM and others, 2024) | Irregular or absent for at least 4 months | One result over 25, repeated in 4 to 6 weeks if unclear |
| NICE (UK, 2015) | No periods, or infrequent ones | Raised on 2 tests, 4 to 6 weeks apart |
| ACOG (US, for adolescents and young women; reaffirmed 2025) | Irregular for at least 3 months | Usually over 30 to 40, repeated after a month |
The international numbers are a good-practice point, based on expert consensus.2,4,5
Before any of these, pregnancy has to be ruled out, and hormonal contraception may need to stop first.4
POI is treatable. The international guideline recommends hormone therapy until the usual age of menopause, both for symptoms and to lower long-term health risks, including to the heart.4 The ovaries can still work now and then, so there’s a 5% to 10% chance of getting pregnant without treatment.5
FSH in men
In men, FSH drives sperm production.1 With a low testosterone, FSH and LH show where the problem starts. High levels mean the testes aren’t responding (primary hypogonadism); low or normal ones point to the pituitary or hypothalamus (secondary hypogonadism). The Endocrine Society strongly recommends measuring both.9
For fertility, the bar is lower than the lab’s. Labcorp’s range runs to 12.4, but in men being checked for infertility, the US male infertility guideline treats an FSH above about 7.6 as a sign of a problem with sperm production.1,8 Testosterone treatment lowers sperm production, so the guideline says not to prescribe it to men who want children.8
Who should get an FSH test?
It’s worth checking if any of these apply to you:
- Your periods are irregular or have stopped, and you’re under 45.2,7
- You’re 40 to 45 with menopause symptoms, or under 40 and menopause is suspected.2
- You’re being checked for infertility. Test on days 2 to 4, with estradiol.7
- You’re a man with low testosterone, or being checked for infertility.8,9
If you’re 45 or over with typical menopause symptoms, it isn’t needed to diagnose menopause, which is done from your symptoms and periods.2,3
How to get an FSH test, and what it costs
An FSH test costs $6.40 through Picardo. The Fertility panel adds 21 more tests from the same visit for $429.45.
Fertility panel
FSH is read with estradiol from the same draw. The panel adds estradiol, LH and AMH, plus androgens, thyroid, blood sugar and the immunity and infection checks done before pregnancy. See what’s in it
FSH on its own
Only the number this page is about.
- Results in 2 to 3 days, in the app
- Physician follow-up if you want one
- Free Labcorp draw, or $75 at home
- No other fees. HSA and FSA eligible.
It’s also part of the Base Core Annual – Men and Base Core Annual – Women panels, if you want a wider checkup.
Already have a result? Ask Picardo about itQuestions people ask
What day should I test FSH?
For a fertility or menopause check, early in your cycle. US fertility guidance says days 2 to 4; European menopause guidance says days 2 to 5, or any time after more than 40 days without a period.3,7 Testing for premature ovarian insufficiency doesn’t need to be timed.4
Does the pill affect FSH?
Yes. Hormonal contraception can lower FSH and can hide or cause irregular periods, so results taken on it can’t be read against the usual ranges.4,5 You may need to stop the pill before premature ovarian insufficiency can be confirmed.4
Can you lower FSH?
Not in a way that helps. A high FSH is a sign that the ovaries or testes are making less of the hormones that hold it down, not a problem in itself.6 Hormone treatments can push the number down,4 but that changes the reading, not the egg or sperm supply behind it.
What does a high FSH mean for IVF?
It can mean your ovaries will respond less to IVF drugs, so fewer eggs may be collected. But egg reserve tests predict the number of eggs much better than the chance of a baby, and ASRM says they shouldn’t be used to turn anyone away from treatment.6,7
Are mIU/mL and IU/L the same?
Yes. 1 mIU/mL equals 1 IU/L, so an FSH of 25 mIU/mL on your report matches the 25 IU/L that guidelines use. Different FSH tests can give somewhat different numbers, though, so compare results from the same lab.6
Often checked alongside
Test details
- Labcorp test
- Follicle-stimulating Hormone (FSH), 004309
- LOINC
- 15067-2
- Sample
- Blood
- Fasting
- Not needed
- Typical lab range
- 3.5 to 12.5 mIU/mL (follicular); 4.7 to 21.5 (ovulatory); 1.7 to 7.7 (luteal); 25.8 to 134.8 (postmenopausal); 1.5 to 12.4 (men)1
- Units
- mIU/mL at Labcorp, the same as the IU/L that guidelines use.
- Best time to test
- Days 2 to 4 of your cycle for a fertility check,7 or any time after more than 40 days without a period.3
- Before the test
- If you take high-dose biotin, stop at least 72 hours before.1
Sources
- 1 Labcorp. Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), test 004309. Labcorp test menu. Accessed October 28, 2026. www.labcorp.com/tests/004309/follicle-stimulating-hormone-fsh
- 2 National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. Menopause: identification and management. NICE guideline NG23. Published November 12, 2015; updated April 15, 2026. www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng23
- 3 Lumsden MA, Dekkers OM, Faubion SS, et al. European Society of Endocrinology clinical practice guideline for evaluation and management of menopause and the perimenopause. Eur J Endocrinol. 2025;193(4):G49–G81. doi.org/10.1093/ejendo/lvaf206
- 4 Panay N, Anderson RA, Bennie A, et al. Evidence-based guideline: premature ovarian insufficiency. Hum Reprod Open. 2024;2024(4):hoae065. doi.org/10.1093/hropen/hoae065
- 5 American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Committee Opinion No. 605: primary ovarian insufficiency in adolescents and young women. Obstet Gynecol. 2014;124(1):193–197. Reaffirmed 2025. doi.org/10.1097/01.AOG.0000451757.51964.98
- 6 Practice Committee of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Testing and interpreting measures of ovarian reserve: a committee opinion. Fertil Steril. 2020;114(6):1151–1157. doi.org/10.1016/j.fertnstert.2020.09.134
- 7 Practice Committee of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Fertility evaluation of infertile women: a committee opinion. Fertil Steril. Published online October 20, 2026. doi.org/10.1016/j.fertnstert.2026.08.686
- 8 Schlegel PN, Sigman M, Collura B, et al. Diagnosis and treatment of infertility in men: AUA/ASRM guideline (2020; amended 2024). Linthicum, MD: American Urological Association; 2024. www.auanet.org/documents/Guidelines/PDF/2024%20Guidelines/Male%20Infertility%20Unabridged%20Final.pdf
- 9 Bhasin S, Brito JP, Cunningham GR, et al. Testosterone therapy in men with hypogonadism: an Endocrine Society clinical practice guideline. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2018;103(5):1715–1744. doi.org/10.1210/jc.2018-00229
Updated 28 Oct 2026.
This is general health information, not medical advice: talk to your clinician about your results and before changing any treatment.