Menopause Test - The Truth About Testing For Menopause

The onset of menopause may be a frightening prospect for most women however, recent studies indicate many are actually embracing it as a new beginning in their lives. And so it should be!

Just as puberty welcomed in a new era for a young woman the onset of menopause is simply another milestone in a woman's life. How you handle it will depend a lot on your frame of mind. Can you be tested for menopause? Good question.

The menopause test isn't widely discussed as for example a pregnancy test but did you know there is a test for menopause?

The Menopause Test

A ‘menopause test’ will confirm to a medical practitioner that a women has reached the post-menopause stage. By the way, this would be the right time to explain that there is no menopause stage. You have the pre-menopause stage when the ovaries are shutting, but have not exactly finished doing so, and you have the post-menopausal stage where the ovaries have totally pulled down the shutters. There is no other stage in between.

A test for menopause isn't a diagnosis as such but more a test for the establishment of follicle stimulating hormone or the FSH which is produced by the pituitary gland. The FSH usually increases slightly just before the periods which actually goads the ovaries to produce eggs.

Is It Conclusive?

While the test is more of an indicator it isn't entirely conclusive. The amount of FSH will be measured and if it is found in very high doses it is an indication that the woman is menopausal.

The menopause test is a combination of factors both external and internal. A doctor will check for the content of hormones in the blood or urine of a woman which when combined together with the external symptoms will give a more accurate analysis.

The bottom line is, a doctor will have more of an idea that menopause is at play by gathering information from series of tests which point towards a specific conclusion. That is, your MD will be able to give you an indication one way or the other about the onset of menopause.

Is a menopause test necessary? Well, if you are suffering hot flashes, wild mood swings, are having irregular periods and you're in your in your 40's then the chances are high that menopause may "have landed." It's then just a matter of getting confirmation from your doctor via a series of tests.

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