Which hormone is ordered to determine menopause?

The hormone that is primarily ordered to determine menopause is Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH). During menopause, the ovaries produce less estrogen, which leads to an increase in FSH levels. This occurs because the pituitary gland secretes more FSH in an attempt to stimulate the ovaries, which are not responding adequately due to the diminished ovarian reserve. Therefore, elevated levels of FSH in conjunction with symptoms of menopause can indicate that a woman has entered menopause or is approaching it.

Monitoring FSH levels is a common practice in assessing ovarian function and can help in confirming the menopausal transition. On the other hand, while estrogen levels typically decrease during menopause, measuring estrogen levels alone is not as definitive for diagnosing menopause. Luteinizing Hormone (LH) is also affected during this life stage; however, its measurement is less commonly used for diagnosing menopause than FSH. Prolactin is another hormone, but it is primarily associated with lactation and does not have a direct role in determining menopause. Thus, the increase in FSH is the primary indicator used in this context.