BLOOD TEST · SMART CARE POLYCLINIC, DEIRA
FSH explained
The pituitary hormone that drives egg and sperm production, key to fertility and menopause.
Order it on its own, or build your own blood test profile — 4 or more tests save up to 30–50%.
What the FSH test measures
FSH is made by the pituitary gland and tells the ovaries to grow eggs, or the testes to make sperm. When the ovaries respond less, the pituitary pushes harder and FSH rises, which is why it is a marker of ovarian reserve and menopause.
What the result tells you
High in women
Suggests the ovaries are responding less, as happens approaching menopause or with reduced egg reserve.
With LH
A high LH-to-FSH ratio is one of the patterns seen in PCOS.
In men
High FSH can point to a problem making sperm; low FSH to a pituitary cause.
How to prepare
- Fasting
- Not required
- Best time
- Women: day 2 or 3 of the cycle, in the morning
What can move the result
A result outside the usual range does not on its own mean something is wrong. These are the everyday explanations a doctor considers first.
Packages that include it
Frequently asked questions
FSH is made by the pituitary gland and tells the ovaries to grow eggs, or the testes to make sperm. When the ovaries respond less, the pituitary pushes harder and FSH rises, which is why it is a marker of ovarian reserve and menopause. High in women: Suggests the ovaries are responding less, as happens approaching menopause or with reduced egg reserve.
Fasting: Not required. Best time: Women: day 2 or 3 of the cycle, in the morning.
Commonly: the day of the cycle; hormonal contraception; age and menopause; recent pregnancy. A single result is not a diagnosis. Values are read against the laboratory's own reference range and alongside your history, your symptoms and the rest of the panel — which is why every package includes a doctor to go through them with you.
At Smart Care Polyclinic, 29 Doha Centre, Al Maktoum Rd, Deira, Dubai. It is included in the PCOS Package, the Fertility Assessment Package, the Hormonal Panel — Female, the Hormonal Panel — Male, the PCOS Panel, or it can be ordered on its own. Walk in during opening hours or call +971 (0)4 379 3562.
Sources
Written from current guidance and reviewed 18 October 2026.
- Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels testMedlinePlus, US National Library of Medicine
- Fertility problems: assessment and treatmentNICE