Irregular periods, hot flushes, night sweats or poor sleep in your 40s are often the first signs of perimenopause. Menopause usually happens between the ages of 45 and 55, but it can come earlier. Here is what an FSH test can tell you, and what it cannot.
Perimenopause and menopause
Perimenopause is the time when your periods start to change and become irregular. Menopause is when you have not had a period for 12 months (and you are not using hormonal contraception). Symptoms usually last for 7 to 9 years, sometimes longer, and they can change over time.
Common symptoms include:
- changes to your periods – more or less often, heavier or lighter
- hot flushes and night sweats
- sleep problems, tiredness
- mood swings, low mood, poor memory or concentration (“brain fog”)
- vaginal dryness, itching or pain during sex
- more urinary tract infections, needing to pee more often
- palpitations, headaches, joint and muscle pain
What is FSH?
FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone) is made by the pituitary gland in the brain. It helps control the menstrual cycle and tells the ovaries to prepare eggs. As the ovaries release fewer eggs, the body makes more FSH to try to trigger ovulation. That is why a raised FSH level is a normal sign of perimenopause and menopause.
FSH levels also change during the month. In perimenopause they can go up and down from cycle to cycle, so one normal result does not mean you are not in perimenopause.
A quick check at home
The Testera Menopause (FSH) Rapid Test checks for a raised FSH level in a urine sample. It can help you understand whether your symptoms may be linked to perimenopause or menopause, and gives you something concrete to discuss with your doctor. Follow the leaflet on when in your cycle to test.
Menopause (FSH) Rapid Test – €5.59 →
What the test cannot tell you
- It does not diagnose menopause on its own. Doctors usually diagnose perimenopause and menopause in women over 45 from symptoms and periods, without a test.
- Hormones affect the result. Combined hormonal contraception, high-dose progestogen and hormone replacement therapy (HRT) can make the result unreliable and make menopause harder to recognise.
- It is not a contraceptive or fertility test. A home FSH test cannot tell whether your ovaries are still releasing eggs. You can still get pregnant in perimenopause.
See a doctor if
- your symptoms affect your daily life, work or relationships
- you are under 45 and your periods change or stop
- your bleeding becomes heavier than before, not lighter
- you have any vaginal bleeding after 12 months without a period, even once and even a small amount
- you have palpitations (a fast or irregular heartbeat)
- you take HRT and still have irregular bleeding after 6 months, or for more than 3 months after a change in HRT dose or type
Common questions
Can a urine FSH test confirm that I am in menopause?
No. A raised FSH level supports the picture, but FSH changes from cycle to cycle. Menopause is confirmed when you have had no period for 12 months. Your doctor will look at your age, symptoms and periods together.
Do I still need contraception?
Yes, until your doctor tells you otherwise. Contraception is usually still needed for 2 years after your last period if you are 40–49, and for 1 year if you are 50 or over.
Does the pill or HRT affect the result?
Yes. Hormonal contraception and HRT change hormone levels and can make the result misleading. If you use them, talk to your doctor before relying on an FSH test.
Rapid tests are intended for preliminary screening and do not replace a doctor’s consultation.
Sources: NHS, NICE NG23, MedlinePlus – FSH test