Why health experts are warning women about ‘menopause testing kits’ that measure FSH levels in urine

At-home “menopause testing kits” which measure your follicle stimulating hormone levels are being increasingly marketed at women. But experts are saying this.

Women are being warned against buying at-home ‘menopause tests’, as experts voice concerns about how those entering this stage of life are increasingly being “bombarded” with unnecessary treatments, devices and products.

Kits being sold in chemists and online, marketed as ‘menopause tests’, purport to be able to tell you if you’re in perimenopause by measuring the levels of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) in your urine at home.

Chemist Warehouse was stocking one behind the counter this week for $10.

That test claimed to be 100 per cent accurate based on results from 250 urine samples.

Only this week, a company called Touch Biotechnology was promoting its newly launched FSH Rapid Test which it said would be offered at pharmacies across Australia.

But the University of Melbourne’s Professor Martha Hickey, who leads menopause research at the Royal Women’s Hospital, said a single test wasn’t going to give you answers about perimenopause.

“The problem with doing an unnecessary test is it can cause anxiety or worry for somebody and then there is the difficulty trying to understand what the result is and what to do about it,” she said.

“It’s a real medical research gap to know how women can reliably tell whether they’re in perimenopause and how long it might take for them to get to menopause.”

Professor Hickey said she had concerns around how much women were being targeted with profit-driven products in this space.

The $10 test was available behind the counter in Chemist Warehouse.

“It’s clear that at certain points in their lives – around fertility, infertility and menopause – women are being bombarded with non-evidence-based information about tests they should have done, treatments or things they should take like supplements,” she said.

“We recognise it’s really hard for women to get a clear picture about what to do.”

GP and menopause specialist Dr Elina Safro, who practices at Family Planning Australia, said FSH levels could have “crazy swings” in perimenopause and there were many instances where measuring it wasn’t appropriate, such as when someone was on contraception, had thyroid issues or Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome.

She also said it was just one piece in a larger puzzle that may be looked at to determine if someone was in perimenopause.

Menopause expert Martha Hickey said there was no simple test for perimenopause and it was a big medical research gap. Picture: Supplied

“What FSH does in the reproductive years is stimulate the development of ovarian follicles, the little sacs that contain the eggs which mature every month,” she said.

“Perimenopause is really a time of huge fluctuations in hormones and it can last for a few years coming up to menopause (which is the absence of a natural period for 12 months).”

Professor Hickey said doing a proper blood test to measure FSH levels would only be useful for women under 40 who were having symptoms like hot flushes, night sweats, mood swings and irregular periods.

Dr Safro said that FSH blood tests through a doctor gave actual readings of how high the levels were, whereas at-home kits only gave a positive or negative result.

“With the blood testing that we use in proper surgery, what happens is we get a report which gives us a level, or number.

“In many cases we say ‘look it’s on the cusp, lets repeat this again in six to eight weeks because we know that in peri (the hormone level) is fluctuating wildly’.”

Professor Hickey said if you were older than 45 then it was a normal part of life.

“If you’re in your mid-40s and above and you get symptoms that look like perimenopause, it is perimenopause,” she said.

This is what the menopause urine test looks like once taken out of the box.

“There are some treatments for symptoms.

“If you’re younger, see your GP and talk about symptoms and ask about testing.”

The Therapeutic Goods Administration said it had approved three tests that measure follicle-stimulating hormones in Australia.

“Any person concerned about their health should talk to their treating healthcare provider about the most appropriate management and treatment of their health condition,” a spokesman said.

Matthew Salihi, Chief Executive Officer at Touch Biotechnology, said his new tests had TGA approval.

“Our test has undergone the full TGA assessment process for safety, quality and performance before being supplied in Australia,” he said.

“It is a regulated medical device with over 99 per cent accuracy, not a wellness product, and that is a very important distinction.

“The test is designed to give women meaningful information about their hormone changes, especially during perimenopause, and it supports better-informed discussions with their healthcare provider.”

He said the tests were useful to women older than 40 experiencing changes such as irregular cycles, hot flushes, mood changes, or sleep disruption.

“Women use it as a private, convenient first step to understand whether elevated FSH may be present,” he said.

“It helps them decide when to speak with a GP, explore treatment options, or better understand the transition they may be entering.”

With regard to the fluctuating nature of FSH levels during perimenopause he said: “Our instructions explain when and how the test should be used.”

“It is designed to detect sustained elevated FSH. When combined with symptoms and medical advice, it provides helpful and meaningful information.”

Originally published as Why health experts are warning women about ‘menopause testing kits’ that measure FSH levels in urine