Luteinizing Hormone

LH (Luteinizing Hormone)

How It Is Done

Blood test

The health professional drawing blood will:

• Wrap an elastic band around your upper arm to stop the flow of blood. This makes the veins below the band larger so it is easier to put a needle into the vein.
• Clean the needle site with alcohol.
• Put the needle into the vein. More than one needle stick may be needed. Attach a tube to the needle to fill it with blood.
• Remove the band from your arm when enough blood is collected.
• Apply a gauze pad or cotton ball over the needle site as the needle is removed.
• Apply pressure to the site and then a bandage.

For women, more than one blood sample may be needed to get an accurate indication of luteinizing hormone (LH) levels. Several blood samples may be taken in one day, or one sample may be taken each day for several days in a row.

Urine test for ovulation

To determine if you are ovulating, a sample of your first urine of the morning is usually tested. It is important to follow the package directions exactly if you are doing home ovulation testing on a urine sample.

• Place the collection container into the stream of urine and collect approximately 60 mL (4 Tbsp) of urine.
• Do not touch the rim of the container to your genital area, and do not get toilet paper, pubic hair, stool (feces), menstrual blood, or other foreign matter in the urine sample.
• Finish urinating into the toilet.

You may also be given a plastic test strip to hold in the urine stream. The test strip has a colour indicator on it that can detect luteinizing hormone (LH).

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Author:	Maria G. Essig, MS, ELS Carrie Henley	Last Updated: August 7, 2007
Medical Review:	Patrice Burgess, MD - Family Medicine Kirtly Jones, MD - Obstetrics and Gynecology Andrew Swan, MD, CCFP, FCFP - Family Medicine
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