Estrogen Testing

Estradiol (estradiol-17 beta, E2) is part of an estrogen that is a group of steroids that regulate the menstrual cycle and function as the main female sex hormones. Estrogens are responsible for the development of female sex organs and secondary sex characteristics and are tied to the menstrual cycle and pregnancy. They are considered the main sex hormones in women and are present in small quantities in men. Estradiol (E2) is the predominant form of estrogen and is produced primarily in the ovaries with additional amounts produced by the adrenal glands in women and in the testes and adrenal glands in men. Estradiol levels are used in evaluating ovarian function. Estradiol levels are increased in cases of early (precocious) puberty in girls and gynecomastia in men. Its main use has been in the differential diagnosis of amenorrhea – for example, to determine whether the cause is menopause, pregnancy, or a medical problem. In assisted reproductive technology (ART), serial measurements are used to monitor follicle development in the ovary in the days prior to in vitro fertilization. Estradiol is also sometimes used to monitor menopausal hormone replacement therapy.

Estriol may sometimes be ordered serially to help monitor a high risk pregnancy. When it is used this way, each sample should be drawn at the same time each day. An unconjugated estriol test, one that measures estriol that is not bound to a protein, is one of the components of the triple or quad screen. Decreased levels have been associated with various genetic disorders including Down syndrome, neural tube defects, and adrenal abnormalities. It is ordered during pregnancy, along with maternal alpha-fetoprotein (AFP maternal), human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), and inhibin-A tests, to assess the risk of carrying a fetus with certain abnormalities.

Estrogen is a group of steroids that regulate the menstrual cycle and function as the main female sex hormones. Estrogens are responsible for the development of female sex organs and secondary sex characteristics and are tied to the menstrual cycle and pregnancy. They are considered the main sex hormones in women and are present in small quantities in men.