A Complete Guide to Home Menopause Tests: Your Questions Answered

In this complete guide to home menopause tests, we will provide you with all of the information you need to know about menopause and home menopause tests. We will discuss what menopause is, what symptoms are the most common, the advantages of these tests, as well as where you can purchase these tests if you think that you may be starting menopause and would like more insight. 

What is menopause?

According to the NHS, menopause marks the end of regular periods. Typically occurring between the ages of 45 and 55, though it can manifest earlier, menopause is something that every woman will experience. It is a transition that can arise naturally or can be triggered by medical interventions such as a hysterectomy or certain cancer treatments. In some cases, genetics can also cause early-onset menopause. Menopause marks a significant milestone in a woman’s life and is categorised as the end of her fertility cycle. 

What are the symptoms of menopause?

The journey of menopause begins with a number of different symptoms that you can keep your eye on. According to the NHS, the most common symptoms of the menopause include:

• Anxiety

• Mood Swings

• Cognitive Issues (Often referred to as brain fog)

• Hot Flushes

• Irregular Periods

It is important to note that these symptoms could occur years prior to your periods coming to a complete end, and they may even persist after this point too. 

What is a home menopause test?

A home menopause test is a diagnostic tool that provides insights into hormonal changes associated with menopause from the comfort of your own home. These tests, which are particularly useful for individuals under the age of 45, these tests often involve blood samples. According to My Menopause Centre, home menopause tests serve a number of different purposes. They help by aiding in the diagnosis of menopause in younger individuals and by offering indications on the potential effectiveness of certain therapies, as well as determining whether or not certain contraceptive pills or medications are altering the way the body works.

What do home menopause tests measure?

Home menopause tests predominantly measure the levels of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), a pivotal hormone released by the pituitary gland. FSH plays a crucial role in the menstrual cycle and the development of eggs. Elevated FSH levels can signify the body's preparation for menopause. In addition to FSH, some tests may assess estradiol levels, a form of estrogen responsible for thickening the uterine lining in preparation for egg implantation (Sherrell, Lebow & Castiello, 2023). The comprehensive evaluation of these hormone levels provides valuable insights into the menopausal transition and its associated changes in hormonal dynamics.

What are the benefits of a home menopause test?

Using a home menopause test provides you with a number of different benefits that you can experience. For example, using the yorktest menopause test that you can purchase from UK Meds offers the following benefits:

• Empowerment: You can take control of your own health and get an understanding on you menopause status and how it might be influencing.

• Convenience: The convenience of a home-to-laboratory finger-prick blood test is unparalleled. The method allows you to get insights into your health without having to leave your house.

• Quick Results: Within the span of 7 days, yorktest will provide you with the results of your test. This quick turnaround enable quicker decision making about your health and adjustments that need to be made.

• Track Hormone Levels: The ease of tracking your hormone levels over time provides you with a valuable insight. You can observe trends and make changes based on results from multiple tests.

Which menopause tests are available at UK Meds?

At UK Meds, we provide a number of different diagnostic tests for a variety of conditions. For the menopause, we offer the yorktest menopause test. This is a specialised test for checking for key notifiers of the menopause, including FSH, LH, and oestradiol. 

We also provide yorktest products that can give you a deeper insight into:

• yorktest Premium Food Intolerance Test - Tests for food intolerances

• yorktest Food Environmental Allergy Test - Tests for food and environmental allergies

• yorktest Junior Food Intolerance Test - Tests for food intolerances in young people

• yorktest Food Allergy Intolerance Bundle - Bundle of the premium food intolerance test and the food allergy test

• yorktest Stress (Cortisol) Test - Tests for levels of stress (cortisol)

• yorktest Essential Health Check Test - Tests for 18 different health markers

• yorktest Thyroid Test - Tests for imbalances in the thyroid gland

• yorktest Inflammation (CRP) Test - Discovers symptoms of internal inflammation

Sources

• YorkTest - Menopause Test

• Healthline - Menopause Home Test