Is FSH Useful for Identifying Reproductive Stage?
FSH levels vary widely among premenopausal, transitional, and postmenopausal women. Although follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels are commonly used to distinguish among women in premenopausal, transitional, and postmenopausal stages, a few small longitudinal studies cast doubt on whether these tests reliably predict reproductive stages. To examine the usefulness of FSH measurements, investigators used data from 576 healthy women (age range, 35––60; 304 premenopausal, 93 in menopause transition, and 179 postmenopausal) who were examined during the 1999––2000 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Compared with the mean for premenopausal women, mean FSH was threefold higher in women during the menopause transition (irregular menses during the past 12 months) and sevenfold higher in postmenopausal women (no menses during the past 12 months). Mean FSH levels were significantly lower in users of postmenopausal hormone therapy than in nonusers. However, considerable
