Reference ranges for estradiol, progesterone, luteinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone during the menstrual cycle

Abstract

This is a description for a series of diagrams showing the reference ranges for the blood content of the hormones estradiol (the main estrogen), progesterone, follicle-stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone during the menstrual cycle, as established on a reference group in Switzerland using the Abbott ARCHITECT analyzer. InterpretationThe time scale starts with the beginning (or "onset") of (last) menstrual period (LMP), given as day number. Day number 1 corresponds to 0 to 0.99 days from the beginning of the LMP, and Day number 2 corresponds to 1.00 to 1.99 days from the beginning of the LMP and so forth. The time scale ends at whatever is the actual next menstruation, which marks the beginning of the next cycle, which is equivalent to starting all over again from the beginning of the time scale. Inter-cycle (also called within-woman or intrawoman) variability for ovulation and next menstruation are the 95% prediction intervals for the timing of these events in any single woman, assuming an inter-cycle average duration that is equal to population average. Inter-woman variability for ovulation and next menstruation are the 95% prediction intervals for the timing of these events in the overall population.Hormone levels represent usual ones, not necessarily related to what is healthy. Hormone ranges vary between cases at the same biological stage of the menstrual cycle. Furthermore, the actual timing (usually given in day numbers from menstruation) of that biological stage varies, both between cycles of any single woman (inter-cycle) and between women (interwoman). Therefore, the appropriate ranges to use depend on how certain the actual biological stage can be estimated at any time. The levels denoted Average refer to the (arithmetic) means for hormone levels. The ranges denoted By biological stage are the 90% prediction intervals for hormone levels for women at the same biological stage. These reference ranges may be used in closely monitored menstrual cycles in regard to other markers of its biological progression, with the time scale being compressed or stretched to how much faster or slower, respectively, the cycle progresses compared to an average cycle. In the luteal phase, a known time of ovulation is sufficient to use these ranges. The ranges denoted Inter-cycle variability (also called within-woman or intrawoman variability) are

External urethral sphincter electromyography in asymptomatic women and the influence of the menstrual cycle

“…The present study has shown that there is a tendency for CRDs and DBs to be present in the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle and this supports our previous work . The luteal phase is characterised by higher levels of progesterone and oestradiol than in the early follicular phase . However, in our present female subjects there was no clear relationship between the blood hormone levels and presence or absence of CRDs/DBs.…”

“…). Three of the women had CRDs and DBs in both the early follicular and luteal phases of the menstrual cycle (Figs and ). A further five women had normal sphincter EMG in the early follicular phase and CRDs and DBs in the mid‐luteal phase (Figs and ).…”

“…The red lines indicate those women who had CRD s and DB s in both phases of the menstrual cycle. The figure shows the levels of oestradiol and progesterone during the menstrual cycle, taking inter‐cycle and inter‐woman variability into account .…”

Detecting gas‐induced vasomotor changes via blood oxygenation level‐dependent contrast in healthy breast parenchyma and breast carcinoma

“…16 The ability to detect a significant BOLD response appears to vary with menstrual cycle changes. In general, a larger BOLD response was observed in the menstrual and luteal phases of the cycle when estrogen levels tend to be lower 23 ; however, further work is needed to confirm this hypothesis. Differences in breast morphology and composition between subjects may be a further source of intersubject variation in response.…”

“…These groups were chosen as estrogen levels are at their highest between days 10 and 20, taking into account variations in ovulation and cycle length. 23 A Student's t-test was used to compare the GAR during two different phases of the menstrual cycle. All analyses were performed using R v. 3.1.3 (R Foundation for Statistical Computing, Vienna, Austria).…”