Female Hormone and Thyroid Blood Test

The female hormone and thyroid panel combines the ten-marker female hormone panel with the four-marker thyroid panel in a single collection. It costs $189 with your own doctor's request, or $269 with a KnowLuna doctor who requests it and explains the results in a 20-minute video consult.

What it measures

FSHLHOestradiolProgesteroneTestosteroneSHBGFree androgen indexProlactinDHEA-SCortisolTSHFree T4Free T3Thyroid antibodies

FSH and LH: the pituitary hormones that drive the cycle. Their level and ratio say a lot about ovulation.
Oestradiol: the main oestrogen, read with FSH and your cycle day.
Progesterone: the hormone of the second half of the cycle; confirms whether ovulation happened.
Testosterone and SHBG: the main androgen and its carrier protein.
Free androgen index: a calculation from the two above estimating active testosterone.
Prolactin: the milk hormone; when raised it can disrupt cycles.
DHEA-S: an adrenal androgen, another source of acne and hair change.
Cortisol: a morning sample that screens mainly for a clearly low level. It is not a stress or burnout measure, and cortisol excess is checked with different tests your doctor arranges.
TSH: the pituitary signal to the thyroid, the most sensitive thyroid screen.
Free T4 and Free T3: the thyroid hormones themselves, showing how the gland is actually performing.
Thyroid antibodies: markers of autoimmune thyroid disease, the commonest cause of thyroid problems in women. Which antibodies are reported is shown on your report.

Who it's for

Women aged 18 and over with cycle or energy symptoms where thyroid and hormones both need checking. Typical reasons include irregular, absent or changing periods together with tiredness, hair thinning or weight change, or a family history of thyroid disease alongside hormone questions. It is not for pregnancy, and hormonal contraception changes several markers (see below).

When to choose this over the hormone panel alone

Thyroid problems and reproductive hormone problems produce overlapping symptoms: fatigue, weight that will not shift, hair loss, low mood, irregular cycles and feeling cold or hot. A hormone panel alone can come back reassuring while an underactive thyroid is the actual cause, and the reverse is just as common.

Choose the combined panel when your symptoms sit in that overlap, when you would rather answer both questions in one visit than come back for a second draw, or when a previous TSH-only test was borderline and you want the full thyroid picture with antibodies. If your symptoms are clearly cycle-related and your thyroid has been checked recently, the hormone panel alone is the cheaper choice.

What you'll learn, and what you won't

You will get a clear read on where your cycle hormones, androgens and adrenal markers sit for your cycle day, and whether your thyroid is under, over or normally active, including whether antibodies are present. The doctor explains how the two halves fit together.

What you will not get is a single cause for how you feel. Hormone levels change through the cycle and across the day, thyroid antibodies can be present in women with normal thyroid function, and many symptoms have non-hormonal explanations. A blood test is one input to a doctor's assessment, not a diagnosis on its own. If anything needs prompt attention, a doctor contacts you directly.

Reference ranges and what they mean

Marker	Typical adult range	What it usually means
Hormones
FSH (day 2 to 5)	About 3 to 10 IU/L	Higher values early in the cycle can point to lower ovarian reserve or the approach of menopause.
LH (day 2 to 5)	About 2 to 10 IU/L	An LH well above FSH early in the cycle is one of the patterns seen in PCOS.
Oestradiol (day 2 to 5)	Typically under about 200 to 300 pmol/L	Rises towards ovulation; read with FSH and cycle day.
Progesterone	Under about 5 nmol/L before ovulation	A mid-luteal level above about 30 nmol/L is consistent with ovulation having occurred; 15 to 30 nmol/L is a borderline band your doctor reads with the timing.
Testosterone (total)	Well under about 2 nmol/L	Higher levels, with a raised free androgen index, are read with symptoms and cycle history.
SHBG	Lab-specific, wide range	Low SHBG raises free testosterone; combined hormonal contraception raises SHBG two- to four-fold.
Prolactin	Under about 500 mIU/L	Mild rises are common with stress or a recent meal; persistent rises are followed up.
DHEA-S	Age dependent; falls from the twenties onwards	Read against the lab's age band. DHEA-S varies little through the day, so the collection time does not matter.
Cortisol (morning)	Roughly 100 to 550 nmol/L before 10am; reads high on combined hormonal contraception	Read against the time you collected. Cortisol is the morning-timed marker.
Thyroid
TSH	About 0.4 to 4.0 mIU/L	Above the range suggests an underactive thyroid; below suggests overactive.
Free T4	About 10 to 20 pmol/L	Low with a high TSH is the classic underactive pattern.
Free T3	About 3.5 to 6.5 pmol/L	Most useful when TSH is low, to confirm an overactive thyroid.
Thyroid antibodies	Below the lab's cut-off	Positive antibodies show autoimmune activity, which raises the chance of thyroid change over time.

Ranges vary by laboratory; your report shows the range your lab uses. Typical ranges on this page are drawn from Pathology Tests Explained (RCPA) and the sources listed below.

When to do this test

Cycle day: day 2 to 5 of your period for FSH, LH and oestradiol. Day 1 is the first day of full bleeding. If your cycles are irregular or absent, collect any day and tell us.
Morning collection, ideally before 10am, because cortisol and testosterone peak in the morning and the thyroid markers are most comparable then.
Fasting: not required. Eat and drink normally.
Contraception: the combined pill, patch or ring changes FSH, LH, oestradiol, SHBG, testosterone, cortisol and DHEA-S readings; a hormonal IUD has a much smaller effect. You can still test, and the doctor reads results with that in mind, but tell us what you use.
Thyroid medication: if you already take a prescribed thyroid medicine, collect before your morning dose unless your doctor says otherwise.

How it works

Order online. Either upload the request your own doctor has signed, or a KnowLuna women's health doctor reviews your questionnaire and requests the panel.
Collect at an accredited (NATA) centre near you on the right cycle day, in the morning, or choose a home kit or a nurse visit (options below). One draw covers all fourteen markers.
Results are usually ready within a few business days, explained in your account, with the doctor consult to talk them through if you chose that option.

Choose how you collect

Every option is the same accredited test and the same report. Pick what suits you at checkout; the fee, if any, is added to either pathway price.

Collection centreIncluded

A quick draw at an accredited pathology collection centre near you. Usually under ten minutes. Included.

Home finger-prick kit+$29

Lancet kit posted to you with an Express return satchel. If the lab cannot test your sample we send a replacement kit at no charge.

Available once our laboratory completes its finger-prick validation.

Home kit with upper-arm device+$59

A near-painless device draws a small sample from the upper arm, with far fewer failed samples than a finger-prick. Express return satchel included.

Available once our laboratory completes its finger-prick validation.

Nurse home visit+$129

A registered nurse comes to your home or workplace for a standard blood draw. Metro areas of capital cities; other locations on request.

Check collection near you

Accredited collection centres operate in every state and territory. We show you the closest ones the moment your test is requested.

Common questions

Should I test thyroid and hormones together?

If your symptoms could be either, yes. Fatigue, weight change, hair loss and irregular cycles are shared by thyroid and reproductive hormone problems, so testing one side alone can leave the cause unfound. One collection answers both questions and avoids a second visit and a second wait.

What day of my cycle should I test?

Day 2 to 5 of your period, counting the first day of proper bleeding as day 1. This gives the baseline reading for FSH, LH and oestradiol. The thyroid markers, prolactin, DHEA-S, cortisol and androgens can be measured any day. If your cycles are irregular or absent, collect whenever suits you and note it.

Do I need to fast?

No. None of the fourteen markers requires fasting. Morning collection is what matters, because cortisol and testosterone follow a daily rhythm and are highest early. Drink water as normal and eat breakfast if you want to, although a heavy meal or vigorous exercise just before can nudge prolactin and cortisol.

How much does a combined hormone and thyroid test cost?

The KnowLuna female hormone and thyroid panel is $189 with your own doctor's request, or $269 including a KnowLuna doctor who requests the panel and explains your results in a 20-minute video consult. Prices are self-pay and not Medicare-rebated. The same fourteen markers ordered separately would usually cost more.

Can I do this test on the pill?

You can, but combined hormonal contraception suppresses FSH, LH and your own oestradiol, raises SHBG and lowers testosterone, so those results reflect the contraception rather than your natural cycle. The thyroid markers and, with a small caveat, prolactin are still informative. Total cortisol reads high and DHEA-S reads low on oestrogen-containing methods, so the doctor discounts those two. A hormonal IUD has a much smaller effect. Tell us what you use.

Sources and further reading

General information only, not medical advice. A test result is one input to a doctor's assessment, not a diagnosis on its own, and every abnormal result is followed up by a KnowLuna doctor. If your symptoms are severe or sudden, see a doctor promptly. Read our medical disclaimer.

Cycles and hormones tests: the stage hub.
Female hormone panel: the ten hormone markers without thyroid.
Thyroid panel: TSH, free T4, free T3 and antibodies on their own.
Thyroid blood tests explained: TSH, T4, T3 and antibodies
Female hormone imbalance: symptoms, and the blood tests that check them

Female hormone and thyroid panel