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