A serum estradiol test assesses the function of adrenal glands, placenta, and ovaries, and can diagnose ovarian cancers, monitor hormone replacement therapy, and evaluate high-risk pregnancies. Abnormal levels may indicate medical conditions, but other factors can affect results. Medications can also affect levels, and patients should inform their doctor before testing.
A serum estradiol test is a blood test used to assess whether the adrenal glands, placenta, and ovaries are functioning properly. It can also be used to evaluate the possibility of ovarian cancers, to monitor the effectiveness of hormone replacement therapy in menopausal women, or to monitor women who may have a high-risk pregnancy. Women who are trying to get pregnant, but have fertility problems, can also have a serum estradiol test to evaluate follicle development before a fertilization procedure. Some men may also have this blood test to diagnose estrogen-producing tumors.
Normal estradiol levels in premenopausal women are between 30 and 400 picograms per milliliter (pg/mL). After menopause, a woman may have an estradiol level between 0 and 30 pg/mL. A normal range of estradiol in men is considered to be between 10 and 50 pg/mL.
If a serum estradiol test indicates that a patient is outside the normal estrogen range, that does not automatically mean they have a medical condition. While it can help in a diagnosis, the test doesn’t necessarily indicate a definitive cause of abnormal estrogen levels. Many other factors can affect a patient’s estrogen levels, including natural day-to-day fluctuations. For example, a woman’s daily level of estrogen will vary depending on her menstrual cycle and whether she is pregnant. Additionally, extreme endurance athletes will also have typically lower estrogen levels, as will those who have the eating disorder anorexia.
Although many factors can affect test results, having a lower or higher than normal estrogen level represented in a serum estradiol test can help your doctor explore possible diagnoses. Patients with a lower level may suffer from a condition such as ovarian failure, Turner syndrome or polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Lower levels may also indicate a failed pregnancy, hypogonadism, or hypopituitarism, which occurs when hormone production in the pituitary gland is reduced. Patients with too much estrogen can suffer from a condition such as hyperthyroidism, cirrhosis or gyno, which occurs when a male has enlarged breasts. Higher levels may also indicate a tumor in the adrenal gland, ovaries or testicles.
Some medications can also affect the levels, so patients about to have a serum estradiol test should tell their doctor about all medications they take. Birth control pills and hormone replacement therapy can both affect the results of this test. Before drawing blood, your doctor will wrap a band around your upper arm and sterilize the skin. He will then insert a needle to collect blood and send the sample to the lab for testing. Rarely, patients undergoing serum estradiol testing may experience fainting, excessive bleeding, or an infection.
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