Follicle stimulating hormone

Normal FSH levels will differ depending on a person's age and gender.

• Male
  • Before puberty: 0 - 5.0 mIU/ml*
  • During puberty: 0.3 - 10.0 mIU/ml
  • Adult: 1.5 - 12.4 mIU/ml
• Female:
  • Before puberty: 0 - 4.0 mIU/ml
  • During puberty: 0.3 - 10.0 mIU/ml
  • Women who are menstruating: 4.7 - 21.5 mIU/ml
  • Postmenopausal: 25.8 - 134.8 mIU/ml

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

* mIU/ml = milli international units per milliliter

Disorders that may be associated with abnormal FSH results include:

• Hypopituitarism
• Klinefelter syndrome
• Polycystic ovary disease
• Turner syndrome
• Ovarian failure (ovarian hypofunction)
• Ovarian or adrenal cancers
• Precocious puberty in girls and boys
• Anorexia

The test may also be performed for:

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

Review Date: 10/05/2010
Reviewed By: 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)