Private hormone testing
Female hormone blood test
Oestradiol, progesterone, FSH, LH, testosterone, SHBG, prolactin and Free Androgen Index — from one venous blood sample, taken by a Bupa-trained Health Adviser and phlebotomist, with a written report. No GP referral needed, results in 2–5 working days.
£129 at a clinic near you
Or £89 as an add-on to an appointment at our Kingston or Crawley clinics.
A venous sample, not a finger-prick kit
Most hormone tests sold online arrive as a kit through the post and ask you to prick your own finger. That works, but it is the compromise, not the standard.
More sample to work with
A finger-prick yields a fraction of what a venous draw does. Less sample means less room for the laboratory to repeat anything that looks odd.
Less haemolysis
Squeezing a fingertip damages red cells, and damaged cells interfere with hormone assays. A clean venous draw avoids the most common reason a home kit gets rejected.
Taken by someone trained
You are not following instructions on a leaflet at your kitchen table. If the first vein does not give, that is the phlebotomist’s problem to solve, not yours.
What the panel measures
Eight markers from a single tube. They are read together — several of them only mean something in the light of another.
Oestradiol
The main form of oestrogen in women of reproductive age. Varies widely across the cycle, which is why timing matters more for this one than almost any other marker here.
Progesterone
Rises after ovulation. Measured around seven days before your period is due, it is the marker most often used to see whether a cycle was ovulatory.
Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH)
Signals the ovaries to mature an egg. Rises as ovarian reserve falls, which is why it features in questions about perimenopause.
Luteinising Hormone (LH)
Triggers ovulation. Read alongside FSH rather than alone — the ratio between them often says more than either figure.
Testosterone
Present in women at much lower levels than in men, and relevant to questions about energy, libido, acne and hair changes.
Free Androgen Index
Calculated from testosterone and SHBG. It estimates how much testosterone is actually available to tissues rather than bound up and inactive.
Sex Hormone Binding Globulin (SHBG)
The protein that binds sex hormones in the blood. A high or low SHBG changes what a normal-looking testosterone result actually means.
Prolactin
Best known for its role in breastfeeding, but raised levels outside that context can disrupt cycles and are worth identifying.
When to take the test
Hormones move. The same person tested on two different days can get two different pictures, and that is normal rather than a fault in the test. Timing it well is the single biggest thing you can do to make the results useful.
If you have regular cycles
Day 2 to 5 of your cycle — counting the first day of full flow as day 1 — is the standard window for FSH, LH and oestradiol. For progesterone, around seven days before your next period is due is the useful point. If you want both, the day 2–5 draw answers more questions.
If your cycles are irregular or have stopped
Book whenever suits you. There is no "right" day to aim for, and waiting for a cycle that may not arrive only delays the answer. Tell us when your last period was and the report reads the results in that context.
If you are on hormonal contraception
Say so when you book. The combined pill, the implant and hormonal coils all affect these markers, and a result read without knowing that is worse than no result. We will tell you honestly whether testing now is worth it.
Hormone testing and perimenopause
This is the most common reason women ask for a hormone test, and it deserves a straight answer rather than a sales pitch.
Perimenopause is diagnosed clinically — from symptoms, age and cycle history — not from a blood test. Hormone levels swing considerably during the transition, so a single set of results can look entirely unremarkable in someone who is plainly perimenopausal. A test cannot confirm or exclude it on its own, and anyone selling you one that claims otherwise is overstating what it does.
What it can do is contribute. FSH and oestradiol add information, particularly alongside a clear symptom picture. Testing is more useful if you are under 45 with changing cycles, where other explanations need ruling out, or where symptoms and cycle history point in different directions. Your report says what the numbers suggest and, just as importantly, where they are genuinely uninformative.
Where you can have it done
At our own clinics in Kingston upon Thames and Crawley, or at one of our partner phlebotomy locations across the UK. Enter your postcode to see what is near you.
Find your nearest location
Enter your postcode to see how far you’d travel.
How testing outside Kingston and Crawley works
- 1Check your postcode above. You will see your three nearest clinics, so you have alternatives if the first is busy.
- 2Get in touch and we will confirm your clinic, take payment and send your referral to the clinic network.
- 3Ring their booking line to arrange a time that suits you. We send you the number and your reference as soon as the referral goes through.
- 4Attend, give your sample, and your written report follows in 2–5 working days.
If we cannot place you, you get your money back.
Appointments are arranged by the clinic, and their availability is not something we control. If none of your nearest clinics can fit you in, tell us and we refund you in full — no argument and no admin at your end. Please ring to book within 30 days so we are not holding a referral open indefinitely.
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Patients regularly mention feeling relaxed, reassured and clearly guided throughout their health check.
“Really nice guy. I felt very at ease and it was a smooth process. Joe gave me insight into my diet that I hadn't considered before which I found very helpful. Definitely recommend!”
“I had an excellent experience for my first appointment. Joe was welcoming and took the time to explain each step clearly, which made the appointment feel relaxed and reassuring. The overall level of care was outstanding.”
“Super happy with the health screening experience. Joe was welcoming, friendly and gave lots of great tips about my health. Highly recommend, I will definitely be back!!”
“Highly recommended. The whole process is simple and smooth. Joe was professional and friendly, who also gave some general health advice. Definitely worth it.”
“My practitioner was very professional and friendly. The health screening was conducted in the way it was described beforehand, and all the tests were completed as expected. I would recommend the service.”
“I recently had a health screening and was thoroughly impressed from start to finish. Joe immediately made me feel at ease. The entire appointment was extremely well organised and professional, yet never felt rushed. I couldn't recommend Optimum Health Screening highly enough.”
Frequently asked questions
- What does a female hormone blood test measure?
- Oestradiol, progesterone, Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH), Luteinising Hormone (LH), testosterone, Free Androgen Index, Sex Hormone Binding Globulin (SHBG) and prolactin. They are read together rather than one at a time — SHBG changes what a testosterone result means, and FSH and LH say more as a ratio than as two separate figures.
- When in my cycle should I have the test?
- If your cycles are regular, day 2 to 5 — counting the first day of full flow as day 1 — is the standard window for FSH, LH and oestradiol. Progesterone is most informative about seven days before your next period is due. If your cycles are irregular or have stopped, book whenever suits you and tell us when your last period was; there is no better day to wait for.
- Can this test tell me if I am perimenopausal?
- It can contribute to the picture, but it cannot settle it on its own. Hormone levels fluctuate considerably during perimenopause, so a single set of results can look unremarkable in someone who is clearly perimenopausal, and vice versa. Perimenopause is diagnosed clinically — from your symptoms, your age and your cycle history — with blood tests as supporting information. Your report says what your results suggest and where they are genuinely uninformative.
- Is this a finger-prick test?
- No. This is a venous blood sample taken from your arm by a trained phlebotomist. Finger-prick kits collect a much smaller volume and are more prone to haemolysis, where damaged red cells interfere with the assay. A venous draw gives the laboratory a better sample to work with.
- Do I need to fast?
- No. Eat and drink normally.
- Do I need a GP referral?
- No. You book directly. We are a private service working alongside NHS care rather than replacing it, so where a result warrants following up, your report says so and recommends you take it to your GP, who holds your full history and can arrange onward care.
- How long do results take?
- Usually 2–5 working days. You receive a written report giving each figure, the reference range it sits against, and a plain-English explanation of what the marker measures and what your result suggests — read in the context of your cycle, your age and anything you told us at the appointment.
- What if my sample cannot be processed?
- Occasionally a sample is damaged in transit or cannot be analysed. If that happens we arrange a free repeat draw at a time and place that suits you, or refund you in full — your choice. You will not be charged twice for one test.
- Is there an age limit?
- This test is for adults aged 18–79.
Book a female hormone blood test
Adults 18–79. No GP referral needed. Results in 2–5 working days, with a written report you can take to your GP.