The Estriol, LC/MS/MS, Serum test contains 1 test with 1 biomarker.
Description: Estriol is a blood test that is used to measure the levels of Estriol in the blood's serum. Estriol is one of three Estrogen hormones in the body. Estriol can be used to evaluate the cause of irregular menstrual cycles, infertility, or diagnose hormonal imbalances
Also Known As: Estriol LCMSMS Serum, Estriol Blood Test, Oestriol Test, E3 Test
Collection Method: Blood Draw
Specimen Type: Serum
Test Preparation: No preparation required
Average Processing Time: 8 to 9 days
When is an Estriol test ordered?
A medical provider may order series of estriol samples during pregnancy to look for a trend, such as whether the estriol level rises or falls over time.
As part of the triple/quad screen, unconjugated estriol is frequently tested in the 15th to 20th week of pregnancy.
What does an Estriol blood test check for?
Estrogens are a class of steroids that have a role in the development and operation of female reproductive organs, as well as the generation of secondary sex characteristics. They help regulate the menstrual cycle, are involved in the growth of breasts and the uterus, and aid in the maintenance of a healthy pregnancy, together with another hormone, progesterone. Though they are primarily associated with women, they are also prevalent in men and play a role in bone metabolism and growth in both genders. Estrogen tests look for one of three hormones in the blood: estrone, estradiol, or estriol.
The placenta produces estriol, which increases in concentration throughout a woman's pregnancy. Increasing levels indicate that the pregnancy and the developing infant are in good health. Estriol is part of the maternal serum screen, which is done in the second trimester to assess fetal risk owing to chromosomal abnormalities. Non-pregnant women and males have very low amounts of E3.
During pregnancy, the predominant estrogen is estriol. The placenta produces it, and it begins to rise in the eighth week of pregnancy and continues to rise throughout the pregnancy. Approximately 4 weeks previous to the start of labor, the level of E3 rises dramatically. Estriol, which circulates in maternal blood, is soon excreted. Each test of estriol is a snapshot of what is going on with the placenta and fetus, yet estriol concentrations vary naturally during the day.
E3 levels are virtually undetectable after delivery.
Lab tests often ordered with an Estriol test:
- Estrogen Total
- Estradiol
- Estrone
- FSH
- LH
- Progesterone
- Testosterone
- Sex Hormone Binding Globulin
- Androstenedione
- DHEA-S
Conditions where an Estriol test is recommended:
- Infertility
- Menopause
- Pregnancy
- PCOS
How does my health care provider use an Estriol test?
Estrogen tests are used to detect a deficit or excess of estrogen in a woman, as well as to aid in the diagnosis of a range of illnesses linked to this imbalance. They may also be ordered to monitor the health of the growing fetus and placenta during pregnancy, as well as to help predict the timing of a woman's ovulation. Estrogen testing can be used to detect a hormone excess and its origin in men.
Testing for estriol:
May be ordered serially to aid in the monitoring of a high-risk pregnancy; if so, each sample should be drawn at the same time each day.
One of the components of second trimester maternal serum screening is an unconjugated estriol test. Reduced levels have been linked to Down syndrome, neural tube anomalies, and adrenal abnormalities, among other genetic illnesses.
What do my Estriol test results mean?
The sex and age of the person being tested determine the normal estrogen levels. It also depends on a woman's menstrual cycle or whether she is pregnant.
Estrogen levels can be elevated or lowered in a variety of metabolic disorders. Because the levels of estrone, estradiol, and estriol change from day to day and throughout a woman's menstrual cycle, care must be used when interpreting the results.
Rather than examining single numbers, a health practitioner monitoring a woman's hormones will look at trends in the levels, rising or falling over time in connection with the menstrual cycle or pregnancy. The findings of a test are not diagnostic of a specific ailment, but they do provide information to a health care provider regarding the possible source of a person's symptoms or status.
We advise having your results reviewed by a licensed medical healthcare professional for proper interpretation of your results.
