Saturday, February, 11, 2012

LH blood test

Table of Contents

Alternative Names

ICSH - blood test; Luteinizing hormone - blood test; Interstitial cell stimulating hormone - blood test


Normal Values
  • Adult female: 5 to 25 IU/L (levels peak around the middle of the menstrual cycle)

Note: Normal value ranges may vary slightly among different laboratories. Talk to your doctor about the meaning of your specific test results.


What abnormal results mean

Greater-than-normal levels of LH may indicate:

  • Anorchia (absence of testes or testes that do not function)
  • Hypogonadism
  • Klinefelter syndrome
  • Menopause
  • Ovarian failure (see Ovarian hypofunction)
  • Polycystic ovary disease
  • Precocious puberty
  • Turner syndrome

Lower-than-normal levels of LH may indicate hypopituitarism.

Additional conditions under which the test may be performed include:

  • Anovulatory bleeding
  • Infertility
  • Multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN) I
  • Ovarian cysts


Review Date: 07/29/2009
Reviewed By: Linda J. Vorvick, MD, Medical Director, MEDEX Northwest Division of Physician Assistant Studies, University of Washington, School of Medicine; Susan Storck, MD, FACOG, Chief, Eastside Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Group Health Cooperative of Puget Sound, Redmond, Washington; Clinical Teaching Faculty, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Washington School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)