Estrogens: What To Think About

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What To Think About

• Blood estrogen levels are a more accurate indicator of how well the ovaries are working than urinary estrogen levels.
• Tests that measure blood levels of progesterone, luteinizing hormone, and follicle-stimulating hormone are often used to study the problems that can affect fertility and the menstrual cycle. For more information, see the medical tests Progesterone, Luteinizing Hormone, and Follicle-Stimulating Hormone.
• The level of estriol in the blood is often used in a maternal serum triple or quadruple screening test. Usually done between 15 and 20 weeks, these tests check the levels of three or four substances in a pregnant woman's blood. The triple screen measures alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), and unconjugated estriol (uE3). The quad screen measures these three substances plus the hormone inhibin A. The levels of these substances—along with a woman's age and other factors—help the doctor estimate the chance that the baby may have certain problems or birth defects. For more information, see the medical tests Alpha-Fetoprotein (AFP) in the Blood, Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG), and Hormone Inhibin A.
• In some cases a combination of screening tests is done in the first trimester to look for Down syndrome. The first trimester screening often combines ultrasound measurement of the thickness of the fetus's neck (nuchal translucency) and measurements of hCG and a protein called pregnancy-associated plasma protein A to check for problems. For more information, see Birth Defects Testing.

Last updated:	May 14, 2008
Author:	Sandy Jocoy, RN
Reviewed By:	Sarah Marshall, MD - Family Medicine, Siobhan M. Dolan, MD, MPH - Reproductive Genetics
Editors:	Kathleen M. Ariss, MS, Tracy Landauer