ATTENTION New York State residents: NY Public Health Law Section 574 prohibits lab testing via mail for residents of New York at this time. We cannot process any testing services for clients in New York state. If you have any questions, please contact us.

The Cycling Female Hormone Panel (FHP) from DiagnosTechs is a series of easy-to-collect saliva tests which evaluate the various hormones that play a role in female reproductive function. These hormones fluctuate throughout the menstrual cycle; therefore, testing on only one day of the month may not give a complete portrayal of the dynamic balance of your hormones. With the Female Hormone Panel, 11 separate samples are taken throughout the entire monthly cycle in order to gain a more comprehensive understanding of what may be contributing to your symptoms. Your hormone levels are measured from your saliva, which can be collected easily and painlessly at your convenience.

Why Saliva Instead of Blood?

For hormones to be active, they have to exist in their free state. In blood, most hormones are bound to proteins and are therefore inactive. It can be difficult to determine how much of a hormone measured in serum or blood is free and actually available to your cells. In saliva, however, hormones are readily measured in their free and bioavailable state.

The Female Hormone Panel screens for:

• Hormone imbalances that may contribute to PMS and migraines
• Factors contributing to infertility such as luteal phase deficit, anovulation, and polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)
• Inadvertent or excessive hormone exposures that may cause irregular menses
• Underlying hormone abnormalities associated with painful or heavy menses
• Early indicators of perimenopause

Eleven saliva samples are used to assess:

• Estradiol - Produced by the ovaries, this is the most active form of estrogen prior to menopause. Proper levels are necessary for healthy menstrual cycles and fertility.
• Progesterone - As the word indicates, progesterone is “pro-gestational”. This hormone prepares the endometrium (internal uterine lining) for implantation of the fertilized ovum. Abnormal levels can play a significant role in infertility and recurrent miscarriage.
• DHEA - A hormone produced by the adrenal glands, DHEA is a precursor to estradiol and testosterone. Too much or too little DHEA can lead to abnormal levels of both estradiol and testosterone.
• Testosterone - Often considered a male hormone, testosterone plays an important role in maintaining muscle mass, bone density, metabolism, energy, and libido. Elevated levels are associated with symptoms such as acne and facial hair growth, and may indicate PCOS.

The Cycling Female Hormone Panel can be helpful for individuals with: irregular or painful periods, infertility or miscarriage, premenstrual syndrome (mood changes, breast tenderness, pelvic cramping), low libido, facial hair growth, acne, migraines.

Convenient, Simple, and Thorough:

• Collection is noninvasive and painless.
• Samples can be conveniently collected from your home, office or other location
• Rather than a single snapshot blood test, salivary testing enables repeated measurements throughout your entire monthly cycle to provide a more comprehensive view of your hormone levels

▶︎ View DiagnosTechs FHP Informational Pamphlet (PDF)

How the Testing Process Works

1. When you order the Cycling Female Hormone Panel (FHP), we will mail you a testing kit.
2. The accuracy of a saliva test depends upon many factors. While our lab partner, DiagnosTechs Labs, is responsible for the technical aspects of the test, the results will only be as good as the raw material or sample that is received. For this reason, please carefully follow the instructions included in the kit when collecting your saliva samples.
3. After you send the kit directly to the lab with your sample (per the instructions provided), it takes approximately 7-10 days for Optimal Health Network to receive the test results from the lab.
4. We will email a PDF of the test results to you once we receive them from the lab. These will be emailed to the email address associated with your Optimal Health Network account.
5. When you receive your test results from us, please fill out our secure client intake form. After you submit the form, you will receive a link to schedule your complimentary 30-minute consultation with Kristina via her booking calendar.

▶︎ View Full FHP Instructions (PDF)

• IMPORTANT! If you are ordering this test for someone else (e.g., a family member) to take, please include the test-taking individual's full name in the ORDER COMMENTS box upon checkout to ensure we can match the lab results to your order and therefore be able to email the results to you.