Clinic appointment
PCOS Check
A wide hormone and metabolic panel covering reproductive hormones, adrenal hormones, blood sugar and insulin, thyroid and cholesterol.
- Doctor-reviewed results
- Laboratory analysis
- 3 to 5 working days from lab receipt
- Fasting preferred
What’s included
19 markers measured
All items are shown below, grouped by area. You can collapse a group as you read.
Hormones
Testosterone (total)
The total amount of testosterone in the blood, used to check men for testosterone deficiency (hypogonadism), best taken fasting between 9 and 11am. A low or borderline result is usually repeated alongside FSH, LH, SHBG and prolactin. Free testosterone, estimated from total testosterone, SHBG and albumin, gives a more reliable picture.
TSH
Thyroid-stimulating hormone, released by the pituitary gland to prompt the thyroid to make T4 and T3. Thyroid hormone levels feed back to control it, so a TSH above the normal range points to an underactive thyroid, especially when free T4 is low.
FSH
Follicle-stimulating hormone. As the ovaries become less active in the years before the menopause, less feedback reaches the pituitary gland and FSH rises. Levels can swing sharply from day to day during this change, then stay high after the menopause.
DHEA-sulphate
DHEA sulphate, a male-type hormone made mainly by the adrenal glands. Doctors sometimes measure it alongside testosterone when assessing raised male-type hormones, for example in polycystic ovary syndrome.
LH
Luteinising hormone, measured together with FSH. In women whose periods have stopped, high LH and FSH before age 40 suggest premature ovarian insufficiency, while normal or low levels point to causes such as weight loss, stress or excessive exercise. A normal FSH with normal or moderately raised LH may be seen in polycystic ovary syndrome.
17-hydroxyprogesterone
17-hydroxyprogesterone, used to screen for non-classical congenital adrenal hyperplasia, an uncommon hormonal cause of excess hair growth, in women with raised male-type hormones, or with excess hair growth and a higher risk, such as a family history. The sample should be taken early in the morning in the first half of the menstrual cycle.
Prolactin
Prolactin is a hormone often checked when periods stop. Mild rises are most often due to stress or medicines such as antipsychotics, and can also be caused by pregnancy, breastfeeding, recent exercise or a difficult blood draw. Higher or persistent rises can point to a pituitary growth or an underactive thyroid and may need specialist assessment.
Cortisol
The main steroid hormone made by your adrenal glands. It follows a daily rhythm and is highest in the morning, so the time of the sample matters when the result is read.
Anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH)
Anti-Mullerian hormone, which can help when assessing ovarian reserve. It is of no use for predicting when the menopause will start, and it should not be used on its own to diagnose premature ovarian insufficiency. Combined hormonal contraception and HRT can affect the result, and results can vary between laboratory methods.
Androstenedione
A male-type hormone (androgen) that can be checked when polycystic ovary syndrome is suspected but testosterone and free testosterone are not raised. It is a less specific test than testosterone.
SHBG
Sex hormone-binding globulin, a protein that affects how much testosterone is free and active. It is used with total testosterone to work out the free androgen index, and a low SHBG can mean more free testosterone even when total testosterone looks normal. Insulin lowers SHBG, so it also hints at insulin resistance.
Diabetes
Glucose
Measures the amount of sugar (glucose) in your blood when the sample is taken. It may be done after not eating for a few hours (a fasting test) or at other times, and the result is judged differently depending on when you last ate. A high level is mainly seen in diabetes.
HbA1c
Reflects blood glucose control over roughly the previous 8 to 12 weeks, without the need to fast. It is used to diagnose type 2 diabetes, but can be misleading in pregnancy, soon after symptoms start, and in people with abnormal haemoglobin, such as sickle cell trait, or altered red blood cell turnover.
Insulin
Insulin is a hormone that helps your body use sugar (glucose) for energy. If the body does not make enough insulin, or the insulin does not work properly (insulin resistance), the level of glucose in the blood rises and diabetes can develop.
Cholesterol
Triglycerides
A type of blood fat measured in a standard lipid profile, which does not usually need a fasting sample. A high level is one form of lipid imbalance and is a risk factor for heart and circulatory disease in its own right.
Total cholesterol
The total amount of cholesterol carried in your blood. The result can be split into HDL (good) cholesterol and non-HDL cholesterol, and doctors use it with things like age and blood pressure to estimate the risk of heart and circulation problems.
HDL cholesterol
HDL cholesterol is part of a standard cholesterol (lipid) profile. It works against the build-up of fatty plaque in artery walls, so higher levels are linked with a lower risk of heart and circulation disease. A low HDL level is one form of unhealthy blood fat balance (dyslipidaemia).
LDL cholesterol
LDL cholesterol is usually calculated from the other results in a standard cholesterol profile. It plays a major part in fatty plaque building up in artery walls, so a raised level increases the risk of conditions such as heart attack and stroke. It has long been the main target of cholesterol-lowering treatment.
Non-HDL cholesterol
All the cholesterol types that raise heart risk added together in one number. NICE uses it to set cholesterol treatment goals.
Overview
Polycystic ovary syndrome involves hormones and metabolism together, so this gathers both sides in one draw: reproductive hormones, androgens, adrenal hormones, prolactin, thyroid, insulin, blood sugar over recent months and the full cholesterol breakdown. It is aimed at someone already discussing PCOS with a doctor, or preparing for that conversation, who would rather not be sent for four separate blood tests.
Polycystic ovary syndrome involves hormones and metabolism together, so this gathers both sides in one draw; a doctor uses it as supporting information alongside symptoms, history and often a scan, never on its own.
Who this is for and who it isn’t
Who it’s for
- Women aged 18 and over
- Women with irregular periods, acne or unwanted hair growth who want the full picture
- Anyone with a PCOS diagnosis preparing for a specialist review
Who it isn’t for
- Recognising PCOS needs more than blood results. Doctors look at your periods and signs such as acne or excess hair together with blood tests, and sometimes an ultrasound scan, which is not part of this panel. This panel is supporting information for a clinician, never an answer on its own.
- Hormonal contraception changes many of these results, so if you use it, talk to your GP about timing before you book.
- Anyone with a new, severe or worsening symptom: contact your GP or call NHS 111. A test you buy today is not a substitute for being examined.
Common reasons people choose this test
- Periods that are irregular, infrequent or have stopped
- Acne or oily skin that started or worsened in adulthood
- Excess hair growth on the face, chest or abdomen
- Difficulty conceiving
- Weight that has been hard to shift around the middle
- Thinning hair at the crown
These are reasons people choose to test, not signs that something is wrong. A result is one part of a picture your doctor puts together with your history and an examination.
What your result looks like
Every result is shown with the unit and the reference range exactly as the laboratory reported it, with the doctor’s note underneath.
- Testosterone (total)▼ Low
- Result
- 7.4 nmol/L
- Range
- 8.6–29 (men)
- TSHIn range
- Result
- 1.8 mIU/L
- Range
- 0.27–4.2
- GlucoseIn range
- Result
- 4.9 mmol/L
- Range
- 4.0–5.9 (fasting)
| Marker | Result | Units | Range | Flag |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Testosterone (total) | 7.4 | nmol/L | 8.6–29 (men) | ▼ Low |
| TSH | 1.8 | mIU/L | 0.27–4.2 | In range |
| Glucose | 4.9 | mmol/L | 4.0–5.9 (fasting) | In range |
Doctor’s note (example)
Testosterone is below the range on a morning sample. One low reading is never conclusive: it is repeated on another morning with LH and FSH, and sleep, weight and recent illness are all considered.
…and 16 more markers. Values above are examples. Your report shows your own results with the laboratory’s units and reference range for your age and sex, reviewed, signed and released by a GMC-registered doctor.
How it works
- You book your appointmentA trained clinician takes your sample at one of our London clinics. Nothing to do at home.
- The clinician takes your sampleA single clinic blood draw by a trained clinician
- The laboratory analyses itYour sample is processed for the measurements included in this test. Lab processing typically takes 3 to 5 working days from receipt of your sample.
- A doctor reviews and releases itA GMC-registered doctor reads every result and signs the report before it reaches you.
- Sample
- Clinic blood draw
- Preparation
- Fasting preferred
- Who it's for
- Women · ages 18+
How to prepare
A fasted sample is preferred for this test, which usually means nothing but water overnight. It is not essential, and the reviewing doctor takes it into account if you have eaten. If you can, book a morning slot and come before breakfast.
What we can and can’t tell you
The reference range beside each result is the laboratory’s own. A result in range is not a clean bill of health and a result outside it is not a diagnosis. Most ranges cover about 95% of healthy people, so about 1 in 20 healthy people fall just outside any one range. No test result replaces an examination or your own doctor’s judgement, and none of these panels is a cancer screening programme.
Read the full note
The reference range printed beside each of your results is the laboratory's own, and it is the range that applies to your result. We do not apply a second range of our own, and we do not tell you that a result the laboratory reported as normal is nonetheless too low or too high. If you see a claim elsewhere that your result ought to sit inside a narrower band than the one the laboratory printed, treat it with caution and ask your doctor.
Some assays cannot give an exact figure above or below a certain point, and those results are reported the way the laboratory sends them, for example as a value greater than a stated number. A result in range is not a clean bill of health, and a result outside a range is not a diagnosis: most reference ranges are set to cover about 95% of healthy people, so some healthy people fall just outside them. No blood test replaces an examination, a scan or your own doctor's judgement, and none of these panels is a screening programme for cancer.
If you have a symptom that is new, severe, or getting worse, contact your GP or NHS 111 rather than waiting for a test result. In an emergency call 999.
Frequently asked questions
When in my cycle should I test?
Book a morning appointment, ideally around 9am, after an overnight fast with water only, because insulin, glucose and cortisol are affected by food and the time of day. If you have periods, days 2 to 5 of your cycle are the convention for the reproductive hormones. If your periods are irregular or absent, which is common with PCOS, book when you can and tell us the date of your last period.
Do I still need a scan?
Not always. If you have irregular periods and signs of raised male-type hormones, a scan is usually not needed to recognise PCOS. Otherwise a scan can help, and in adults an AMH result, which this panel includes, is sometimes used instead. Your GP can advise whether you need one.
Why is 17-hydroxyprogesterone included?
It helps a doctor consider adrenal causes of the same symptoms, which is a standard part of the workup rather than an extra. It is read alongside the other androgens, not on its own.
Does biotin affect the result?
It can. High-dose biotin (vitamin B7), often sold for hair, skin and nails, can make some hormone results read too high or too low. Laboratory advice is usually to leave at least 8 hours after a dose of 5 mg or more, and some advise longer, so the simplest approach is to skip it on the day of your sample. Tell us if you take it, and do not stop a medicine that a doctor has prescribed.
How long do results take?
The laboratory typically takes 3 to 5 working days from receiving your sample. This does not include kit delivery, sample collection or return postage. A doctor reviews your results before they are released.
Can I choose a home kit or a clinic?
This test is a clinic blood draw, as it needs a venous sample for accuracy. We arrange a convenient appointment for you.
Is a doctor involved?
Yes. Every result is reviewed by a GMC-registered doctor who signs it off and explains what it means and what to do next.
Is it confidential?
Your results are available through your secure patient portal. Our privacy policy explains how your information is handled and when it may be shared to provide your care.
Do I need to fast?
A fasted sample is preferred for this test, which usually means nothing but water overnight. It is not essential, and the reviewing doctor takes it into account if you have eaten. If you can, book a morning slot and come before breakfast.
What happens to my sample and results?
Your sample is analysed at a UKAS-accredited laboratory (ISO 15189). A GMC-registered doctor then reads every result and signs the report before it is released, so nothing reaches you unreviewed. There is no option to receive results without a doctor reading them first. The report arrives in your secure portal in plain English: each result with its unit and the laboratory's own reference range, and the doctor's note on what the set means read together. If a result sits outside its range the report says so and explains what usually happens next, which is most often a conversation with your own GP, who can act on it alongside your history and examination. Most reference ranges are set to cover about 95% of healthy people, so about 1 in 20 healthy people fall just outside any one of them. On a report with many results it is common for one to sit just outside its range, and a single number on its own rarely tells the whole story. If a result needs urgent attention, the reviewing doctor is alerted straight away and we contact you by phone the same working day rather than leaving it in the portal for you to find. If a specific result needs rechecking, the reviewing doctor says so in your report.
People also check
See all women's health tests
AMH Ovarian Reserve TestAnti-Mullerian hormone, the blood marker fertility clinics use as a guide to how many eggs are still in reserve.£80.99Includes postageView test
CA 125 TestCA 125, a blood protein doctors use alongside symptoms and an ultrasound scan when possible ovarian problems are being assessed.£55.99Includes postageView test
Cervical Screening with HPVA cervical sample tested for 14 high-risk HPV types by mRNA, reported together with cervical cytology (a smear) from the same vial.£214.00Includes clinic appointmentView test