Quick Facts
- Sample: Finger-prick blood spots (dried on filter cards)
- Fasting: Not required
- Turn-around: 5-7 business days after lab receives specimen. May take longer based on weather, holiday, or lab delays.
Benefits
- Comprehensive hormone assessment - Tests 10 key markers including reproductive and thyroid hormones
- Superior accuracy for hormone therapy monitoring - Dried blood spots show excellent correlation with serum testing
- At-home convenience - No clinic visits, phlebotomist fees, or scheduling hassles required
- Temperature-stable samples - Room temperature shipping eliminates cold-chain logistics and potential sample degradation
- Continued therapy monitoring - No need to stop hormone supplements before testing
- Enhanced privacy - Confidential sample collection and direct-to-consumer results delivery
Who Is This Test For?
- Women experiencing perimenopause or menopause symptoms like hot flashes and mood changes
- Those with irregular periods, fatigue, or unexplained weight changes seeking hormonal answers
- Hormone replacement therapy users needing accurate monitoring of treatment effectiveness
- Women with thyroid-related symptoms including metabolism changes and temperature sensitivity
- Those evaluating PCOS symptoms like facial hair growth and insulin resistance
- Anyone seeking comprehensive reproductive and thyroid health assessment in one convenient test
How It Works – Just 3 Steps
- Collect - Use the provided lancet for a simple finger prick, filling all blood spot circles completely
- Dry & Ship - Let samples air-dry for 30 minutes, then mail in the prepaid envelope
- Receive Results - Get comprehensive hormone analysis within 5-7 days
FAQ
When is the best time to collect my sample? Menstruating women should collect on days 19-21 of their cycle; non-menstruating women can collect anytime.
Do I need to stop my hormone therapy before testing? No - ZRT provides adjusted reference ranges for different supplement types, allowing continued therapy during testing.
How accurate is blood spot testing compared to regular blood draws? Dried blood spot testing shows excellent correlation with serum testing (r² >0.83 for key hormones) and may be more accurate for topical hormone monitoring.
What preparation is needed before collecting samples? Collect within 30 minutes of waking, avoid anti-aging creams and biotin for 3 days prior, and continue prescribed hormones.
Can this test diagnose specific conditions? This test identifies hormone imbalances that may indicate conditions like PCOS, thyroid disorders, or menopause, but requires healthcare provider interpretation for diagnosis.
How long do dried blood spots remain stable? Samples remain stable at room temperature for weeks, making shipping convenient without special handling requirements.
More Details
What is the purpose of this test?
The Female Blood Spot Profile II provides comprehensive assessment of reproductive hormones and thyroid function to identify imbalances causing symptoms like fatigue, irregular periods, mood changes, and metabolic issues (ZRT Laboratory 2020). This test measures estradiol, progesterone, testosterone, DHEA-S, cortisol, sex hormone-binding globulin, TSH, free T3, free T4, and thyroid peroxidase antibodies in a single comprehensive panel.
The dried blood spot collection method offers superior stability for hormone measurement, especially beneficial for patients using topical hormone therapies where traditional serum testing may not accurately reflect tissue hormone levels (PMC/NIH 2007).
Who would benefit from this test?
This test serves women experiencing hormonal imbalance symptoms, with research showing 47% of women aged 30-60 have experienced such symptoms (NY Post 2019). Primary beneficiaries include women in perimenopause/menopause transition, those with irregular menstrual cycles, patients monitoring hormone replacement therapy effectiveness, and individuals with thyroid-related symptoms.
Given that women are 5-8 times more likely than men to develop thyroid disease, with 1 in 8 women affected during their lifetime (American Thyroid Association 2024), this comprehensive assessment provides crucial health insights for proactive management.
When should I order a Female Blood Spot Profile II - ZRT Test Kit?
Order this test when experiencing symptoms of hormonal imbalance including irregular periods, unexplained fatigue, mood swings, weight changes, sleep disturbances, or decreased libido. The test is particularly valuable for women entering perimenopause (affecting 22.1% of women aged 40-59) or those monitoring hormone replacement therapy effectiveness (CDC 2018).
For menstruating women, optimal collection timing is days 19-21 of the menstrual cycle to capture peak progesterone levels. Non-menstruating women can collect samples anytime, making the test accessible regardless of menstrual status.
How do I interpret the results?
Results include age-adjusted reference ranges specific to menstrual status and supplementation type. Healthcare provider consultation is recommended for clinical interpretation and treatment planning. The comprehensive panel allows assessment of hormone interactions and identification of multiple imbalances affecting overall health.
Within reference range:
- What it means: Normal hormone levels for age/status
- Typical action: Continue current lifestyle/therapy
Below reference range:
- What it means: Potential hormone deficiency
- Typical action: Consider supplementation or lifestyle changes
Above reference range:
- What it means: Possible hormone excess
- Typical action: Evaluate supplementation or investigate causes
Multiple imbalances:
- What it means: Complex hormonal dysfunction
- Typical action: Comprehensive treatment approach needed
Blood spot testing may be more accurate than serum testing for monitoring topical hormone therapies, as it better reflects tissue hormone levels.
Disclaimer: Reference ranges may vary by laboratory. Listed ranges are general guidelines and may differ from those used by the performing lab. Always consult your healthcare provider for interpretation.
Pre-test preparation
Collect samples within 30 minutes of waking, before eating or drinking (except water). Avoid anti-aging facial creams and biotin supplements for 3 days prior to collection (ZRT Laboratory 2023). Continue prescribed hormone therapies - collect 12-24 hours after topical application or 6-10 hours after oral doses.
Warm hands before collection to ensure adequate blood flow. The test requires no fasting unless additional metabolic markers are being assessed simultaneously.
How often should I get tested?
- Hormone therapy monitoring: Every 3-6 months initially, then annually
- Treatment adjustments: 3-6 months after changes
- Menopause management: Every 6-12 months
- Thyroid monitoring: Every 6-12 months if stable
- General health maintenance: Annually for women over 35
Why early detection matters
Early identification of hormonal imbalances allows for timely intervention before symptoms significantly impact quality of life. With up to 70% of PCOS cases remaining undiagnosed worldwide (WHO 2025), and thyroid disorders affecting 30% of women over 80, proactive testing enables preventive care and optimal treatment outcomes.
Research demonstrates that women with elevated inflammatory markers have 70% increased cardiovascular risk (Inside Precision Medicine 2024), highlighting the importance of comprehensive hormonal assessment for long-term health management.
Related tests you may consider
CardioMetabolic Profile - ZRT Test Kit - Complementary assessment including insulin, HbA1c, and cholesterol and inflammatory markers providing metabolic context for hormone imbalances, particularly relevant for cardiovascular risk assessment.
Vitamin D Profile - ZRT Test Kit - Essential companion test measuring vitamin D status, crucial for hormone synthesis and thyroid function, using the same convenient dried blood spot methodology.
Comprehensive Male Profile II - ZRT Test Kit - For partners or family members, offering parallel hormone and thyroid assessment to support household health optimization and understand potential genetic predispositions.
