What to Expect On Your
Cycle Day Three:
Your cycle day three blood test and ultrasound can
only be done of the third day of your menstrual cycle.
It is very important to call into Nation Wide
Egg Donation’s office as well as the donor coordinator
you have been assigned to at the clinic that you will
be having your retrieval done and let your coordinator’s
know that you have started your menstrual cycle on the
first day of your menstrual cycle once you have
entered into contract with a couple.
If you miss the cycle day three test then it will put
off your cycle another 28 days. When doing an egg donation
cycle it is based around your menstrual cycle so everyday
counts.
Day Three Blood Test: Definitions
of the 3 most common blood test that will be done on
your cycle day three and what to expect for your ultrasound
are listed below.
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FSH Blood Level Measurement:
This is the key test to determine whether or not you
are in menopause. A sample of your blood is taken to
measure the levels of FSH -- follicle stimulating hormone
-- in your blood. Because your FSH levels rise when
your ovaries stop producing enough estrogen, high FSH
levels can signal that your body is entering menopause.
• Normal FSH day 3 value is 3-20 mlU/ml
• FSH levels above 10 to 12 mlu/ml indicate that
your ovaries are starting to fail. In other words, this
means that you are in perimenopause -- the beginning
stages of menopause when you notice physical symptoms,
but before you have stopped having a period for a year,
or have "diminished ovarian reserve"
• Higher FSH levels -- levels about 30 to 40 or
above -- are usually taken to signal menopause or ovarian
failure. You may even be getting periods with your FSH
levels this high, but it still is a sign that your body
isn't producing enough estrogen to maintain regular
ovarian function.
• Keep in mind that you may end up with FSH levels
that are well in the post-menopausal range, but still
be getting a period. This is one of the things that
differentiates premature menopause or premature ovarian
failure from "regular" menopause (i.e. menopause
that occurs to older women after a full year without
a period). Yet again, this hammers home the unfortunate
fact that you may indeed be in premature menopause even
if you're having periods. Once your FSH levels have
reached a certain height for a period of time, it's
highly unlikely that they'll drop back to premenopausal
levels. In my case, even after my FSH was tested at
over 150, I had apparently normal periods for eight
months. Then when I was retested -- hoping that somehow
my body had snapped back to normal, I learned that my
FSH level had dropped. . . . but only to 126. Since
my FSH levels had been well above 35 for over a year,
I finally accepted that my ovaries had failed.
• As mentioned above, because hormone levels can
and do fluctuate, remember that the FSH is far from
foolproof. Some women can test with a high FSH, then
revert to normal levels the next month...and so on.
Again, it's generally wise to get tested more than once.
FSH TEST LEVELS
Normal Menstruating
Follicular Phase 2.5 to 10.2
Midcycle Peak 3.4 to 33.4
Luteal Phase 1.5 to 9.1
Postmenopausal 23.0 to >116.3
(Note: Lab levels -- or "assay levels" --
do vary from lab to lab, so you may notice different
levels listed on your lab report)
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Etrogen (Estradiol) Levels:
Estradiol is the primary human estrogen -- and when
your ovaries begin to fail, your circulating estradiol
levels drop. This is why doctors often give you a serum
estradiol concentration test to measure the amount of
estradiol in your blood. In this case, the doctor is
looking to see if your estrogen levels are lower than
normal -- again, a signal of ovarian failure, or, in
other words, early menopause.
• Normal estradiol Day 3 value -- 25-75 pg/ml
• In spite of the above number, generally, estradiol
levels about 30 or below -- in conjunction with a high
FSH level (high in this case, meaning in the post-menopausal
range, i.e. 30-40 or higher) -- is considered menopausal.
(Important note: If your FSH hasn't reached post-menopausal
levels and your estradiol is on the low side, you are
not considered POF or EM. There can be other reasons
for low estradiol, including excessive exercise, low
body fat, and diminished ovarian reserve.) This is because
estradiol levels tend to drop over time. During the
first 2 to 5 years following menopause or ovarian failure,
blood levels of estradiol drop to an average range of
about 25 to 35 pg/ml. Women not on HRT generally will
see this number drop even more over time; after about
five years, it's common for menopausal women who aren't
on HRT to have estradiol levels below 25.
• If your estradiol levels are lower than 50 picograms
per milliliter, you may still be having a period, but
also may be experiencing symptoms of low estrogen --
including hot flashes, vaginal dryness, and sleep difficulties.
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LH (luteinizing hormone):
This test may be performed when a disorder associated
with abnormal levels of LH is suspected.
LH is a protein hormone secreted by the anterior pituitary
gland. In women, an LH surge at mid-cycle causes ovulation.
For the next week or so, LH maintains the corpus luteum
which synthesizes progesterone. If a woman does not
become pregnant, the corpus luteum disintegrates after
about 10 days. In men, LH stimulates production of testosterone
by the Leydig cells of the testes.
Normal Values
• Normal adult female: 5 to 20 IU/L, with the
midcycle peak about 3 times the base level
Note: IU/L = international units per liter
Normal values can be different depending on the lab
and the test used.
Non-menopausal:
Follicular Phase 24-138
Luteal Phase 19-164
Periovulatory 107-402
Postmenopausal:
No HRT <36
With HRT 18-361
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Ultrasound:
Your doctor will perform a high resolution vaginal ovarian
ultrasound to view your ovaries. This will determine
whether you have any eggs and follicles.
NWED DONOR COORDINATOR CONTACT
INFORMATION: |
