Estrogen Testing and Estrogen Hormones
Estrogen Test – An estrogen test measures the level of the most important estrogen hormones (estradiol, estriol, and estrone) in a blood or urine sample.
Estradiol: Key Estrogen Hormone for Nonpregnant Women
Estradiol is the most common measure type of estrogen for nonpregnant women. Estradiol in a woman’s blood varies throughout her menstrual cycle. After menopause, estradiol production drops to a very low but constant level.
Estriol levels are typically measured only during pregnancy. The placenta, the tissue connecting the fetus to the mother, produces estriol in significant quantities. Moreover, it can be detected as early as the 9th week of pregnancy, and its levels continue to rise until delivery.
Additionally, estriol can be measured in urine. Healthcare professionals can measure estrone in women who have undergone menopause to determine their estrogen levels. Furthermore, it can also be measured in men or women suspected of having ovarian, testicular, or adrenal gland cancer.
Estrogen Test: Production in Men and Women
Both men and women produce estrogen hormones. Estrogens are responsible for female sexual development and function, such as breast development and the menstrual cycle. Additionally, the ovaries and the placenta during pregnancy serve as the primary sources of estrogen production in women. Furthermore, small amounts of estrogen are also produced by the adrenal glands. In men, the adrenal glands and testicles produce small quantities of estrogen. Moreover, in most tissues, particularly in fat and muscle, small amounts of estrone are synthesized throughout the body. This becomes the major source of estrogen in women who have undergone menopause.
Assessing Pregnancy Health and Risk Factors
Pregnant women undergo a maternal serum triple or quadruple screening test, where the estriol level in the blood is utilized. Generally done between 15 and 20 weeks, these tests check the levels of three or four substances in a pregnant woman’s blood. The triple screen checks alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG), and a type of estrogen (unconjugated estriol, or uE3). The quad screen checks these substances and the level of the hormone inhibin A. The levels of these substances, along with a woman’s age and other factors, the doctor estimates the chance that the baby may have certain problems or birth defects.
