Testosterone, proudly called the hormone of the winners, a hormone of strength and sexuality is considered a purely male sexual steroid. But not everyone knows that testosterone is present in the organisms of the beautiful half of society, and provided that the index of free (biologically active) testosterone does not exceed the norm - plays an important role in maintaining the hormonal balance in the female body.
Free Testosterone Index: Normative Values
It is important to note the fact that the indicator of free testosterone in a woman may slightly differ in different laboratories. This is connected with the peculiarities of the research and should not alarm you. Units can also differ.
Testosterone free is only the biologically active form of the hormone, which at the time of the analysis was not associated with blood proteins (albumin and globulin). The free testosterone rate increases throughout life and reaches its maximum in women of reproductive age, in the meantime, both in girls under 18 and women in menopause it is significantly lower. Thus, the reference values (values within the norm) of free testosterone look like this:
- girls under 9 years old - 0,06 - 1,7 pg / ml (picograms per milliliter);
- girls from 9 to 13 years (prepubertal period) - up to 1.7 pg / ml;
- girls from 13 to 18 years (post-pubertal period) - up to 4.1 pg / ml;
- girls and women over 18 years of age - 0.5 - 4.1 pg / ml;
- women in menopausal age - 0,1 - 1,7 pg / ml.
Increased free testosterone
If the woman notices the changes in her appearance (excessive body hair and face hair loss with simultaneous hair loss on the head, coarsening of the voice, acne), if the menstrual cycle becomes irregular and attempts to become pregnant are unsuccessful, then it is possible that the level of free testosterone in her body slightly above the norm. In this case, it is advisable to conduct a study to determine the hormone index.
If the free testosterone level exceeds the norm, then adequate medical measures for its reduction are used: most often hormone preparations. But, as practice shows, the use of hormonal drugs is not always justified, it is not uncommon for cases when they are appointed without clarifying the true cause of the increase.
It is important to understand the difference between free and common testosterone. An increase in one indicator does not always lead to an increase in the other. So, for example, if the level of free testosterone is higher than normal, and the value of total testosterone remains unchanged, this fact may well indicate liver problems, for which hormonal drugs are not needed.
Free testosterone in pregnancy
In pregnancy, particularly in the second half, the conditional norm of free testosterone is always slightly higher, this is normal and should not worry the expectant mother. This fact is explained by the fact that in addition to ovaries and adrenal glands, which usually produce testosterone, in the pregnant woman additional generation is provided by the placenta and the fetal organs.
Clear indicators of the norm of free testosterone in pregnancy is not established, the hormonal background of each pregnant individual, so it is very difficult to establish the exact limits of increase in testosterone. Nevertheless, it is important to know:
- The free testosterone index should not exceed the established rate for a woman of reproductive age
only in the first weeks of pregnancy, as exceeding the norm threatens miscarriage. - A steady increase in testosterone in a woman is dangerous not only difficulties with conceiving a child, but also a habitual miscarriage (two or more miscarriages in a row).
- In the third trimester of pregnancy, the level of free testosterone, as a rule, significantly exceeds the norm, in two, three or more times.
It is important to note that many doctors are of the opinion that it is unnecessary and uninformative to determine the level of free testosterone in pregnant women.