Balance is essential for everything in life—whether it’s our emotions, daily routines, or the processes inside our bodies. Our body depends on many such internal balances to function well, especially when it comes to hormones. Even a slight hormonal imbalance can affect our health in unexpected ways. One such delicate balance involves LH (Luteinising Hormone) and FSH (Follicle-Stimulating Hormone), which play a crucial role in the menstrual cycle and fertility. In many cases, a disproportionate LH to FSH ratio can be an early sign of a condition called PCOD.
Let’s take a quick look at what LH and FSH actually do in the body and why there is so much importance given to monitoring the LH FSH ratio in PCOD patients, especially on Day 2 of their menstrual cycle.
Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and Luteinising hormone (LH) are important gonadotropic hormones produced by the pituitary gland. Together, these hormones help regulate a woman’s menstrual cycle and prepare the body for pregnancy. Let’s understand their basic role in the body.
Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) helps support regular menstrual cycles and plays a key role in fertility. It is a reproductive hormone produced by the pituitary gland. Early in the menstrual cycle, it plays a key role in triggering the ovaries to begin preparing for ovulation. FSH stimulates multiple follicles to grow. Follicles are tiny sacs, each holding an immature egg. As the cycle progresses, one follicle becomes dominant and matures, while the rest gradually fade. This process is key to regular cycles and healthy ovulation.
Luteinising hormone (LH) is another important reproductive hormone released by the pituitary gland. Once FSH has stimulated the follicles to grow and one of them becomes dominant, rising estrogen levels signal the brain that the follicle is mature enough to rupture and release its egg. The LH then rapidly rises. This LH surge is what triggers the release of the egg from the follicle (ovulation). Without this surge, ovulation cannot occur, making LH essential for the timely release of the egg during each cycle.
Day 2 of the menstrual cycle is often chosen as the ideal time to check LH and FSH levels. This is because checking their levels at this point in the menstrual cycle can provide important insights into how the reproductive system is functioning. Testing on Day 2 will provide a baseline reading of hormone levels before the natural hormonal shifts of the cycle begin to occur later. These early-cycle tests can offer clues about ovarian health and hormonal balance. Doctors even recommend this day 2 hormone test for PCOD (Polycystic Ovarian Disease) diagnosis confirmation.
Now, let’s see what each of these hormones tells us when tested on Day 2.
On Day 2, measuring FSH levels helps doctors understand how well the ovaries are responding at the start of the cycle. If levels are higher than expected, it may indicate diminished ovarian reserve. This means the ovaries might not be producing eggs as efficiently as they should, which can affect fertility.
On Day 2, LH levels are usually slightly lower than the FSH levels. Measuring LH on this day helps assess if the hormonal balance is within the expected range. If LH is found to be at a higher level than FSH on Day 2, it may be taken as a sign of a hormonal imbalance often linked to conditions like PCOD.
Polycystic Ovarian Disease, commonly referred to as PCOD, is a hormonal condition in which the ovaries produce a large number of immature eggs, which subsequently develop into cysts within the ovaries. This leads to the abnormal enlargement of the ovaries and the secretion of male hormones, known as androgens. If left untreated, this could affect ovulation and the ability to bear children.
The LH and FSH levels are quite useful in diagnosing the occurrence of PCOD. This is where the LH to FSH ratio comes into play. Instead of the typical 1:1, which is the normal LH FSH ratio for PCOD patients, the LH:FSH ratio would be 2:1. This means there is an imbalance between the LH and FSH levels, with the former being higher than the latter. This is a very useful indicator of PCOD, especially in cases where the symptoms are not very evident.
Getting tested on Day 2 of the menstrual cycle will ensure greater reliability of the test results. Once the test results have been properly evaluated, appropriate treatment paths can be determined.
Testing the LH and FSH levels on Day 2 of the menstrual cycle plays an important role in assessing reproductive health, especially when PCOD is suspected. If there is an imbalance in the LH FSH ratio fertility will be impacted. Hence, it is crucial to test LH and FSH levels and use the results to gain valuable insights about the LH to FSH ratio and plan the right course of treatment.
