Everyday Health: “Should You Take an At-Home Menopause Test?”

Marie Christakis, an assistant professor in the ob-gyn department, spoke to Everyday Health about at-home menopause tests, also known as hormone panels. They are direct-to-consumer tests designed to help women determine whether they’re entering menopause and thus take steps to alleviate symptoms—but a new editorial paper says the tests are unnecessary and potentially harmful.

Christakis, lead author of the paper, says that doctors are seeing a surge of confusing and sometimes misleading information.

“This leaves many women unsure of what to believe, and can result in either undertreatment or use of unproven approaches.”

Hormone panel testing looks for specific hormone levels in the blood related to female reproductive health. The levels of these hormones would indicate whether the woman is experiencing perimenopause (the years before menopause when periods become irregular) or in menopause (the first 12 consecutive months without a period). 

Tests require a blood draw either at a lab or with a home kit that you mail in for results. Prices range from about $150 to $400.

However, reproductive hormones can fluctuate very widely over the course of a menstrual cycle and assessment can be inaccurate, often merely providing a snapshot of where a woman’s hormone levels are in a specific moment.

Christakis says that menopause is a clinical diagnosis and hormone testing is unnecessary. You can be diagnosed by visiting your doctor, without testing, based in most cases on symptoms, age, and menstrual patterns. This is a consensus held by major health groups that includes the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the Menopause Society. 

While it’s healthy to want to understand what’s going on with your body, Christakis recommends looking up information from national health guidelines or medical organizations like the Menopause Society, ACOG, and the Endocrine Society. 

“These societies have lists of accredited menopause healthcare providers,” Christakis says. “Asking questions, weighing options, and avoiding quick fixes marketed online can help ensure you get care that meets your needs.”