Quick Facts
- Sample: Dried urine (filter cards)
- Fasting: Not required
- Turn-around: 5–7 business days after lab receipt. May take longer based on weather, holiday, or lab delays.
Benefits
- Track your entire cycle, not just one day—collect samples every other day to map ovulation, follicular, and luteal patterns in detail
- Skip the clinic hassle—no blood draws, no appointments, just simple at-home urine collection on filter cards you mail back
- Get clarity on confusing symptoms like irregular periods, PMS/PMDD, or fertility concerns with comprehensive hormone curves
- Share actionable data with your healthcare provider to guide personalized treatment and avoid repeat single-day tests
Who Is This Test For?
- Women experiencing irregular cycles, heavy bleeding, or cycle-related migraines who need detailed hormonal insight
- Those with PMS or PMDD symptoms seeking to understand how estrogen and progesterone shift throughout the month
- Individuals investigating fertility concerns or suspected anovulation when standard day-21 progesterone hasn't provided answers
- Anyone needing to confirm ovulation timing and luteal phase adequacy for reproductive health planning
- Health-conscious women looking for convenient, private hormone assessment without repeated office visits
How It Works – Just 3 Steps
- Collect samples at home — Starting on cycle day 7, collect first-morning urine on filter cards every other day until your next period begins
- Ship your kit — Let cards dry completely, pack them in the prepaid mailer, and send to ZRT Laboratory for analysis
- Review your results — Receive detailed hormone curves within 5–7 business days showing your estrogen, progesterone, and LH patterns across the cycle
FAQ
What hormones does this test measure? Estradiol (E1G), progesterone (PDG), and luteinizing hormone (LH) on 15 collection days throughout one menstrual cycle.
Do I need to be fasting for sample collection? No, fasting is not required; collect first-morning urine or second-morning if you miss the first.
Can I use this test if I'm on birth control? No, this test is designed for naturally menstruating women not using hormonal contraception or hormone replacement therapy.
How do I know if my results are normal? Your report plots hormone levels against expected phase-specific ranges; review with your clinician to interpret patterns in context of symptoms.
What should I do with my results? Share them with your physician, nurse practitioner, or qualified clinician who can integrate findings with your health history and plan next steps.
How soon can I retest after treatment? Timing is individualized; your clinician may recommend repeat mapping after lifestyle changes or therapy to assess whether patterns have normalized.
More Details
What is the purpose of this test?
The U-328 Menstrual Cycle Mapping test maps estrogen, progesterone, and luteinizing hormone across your full menstrual cycle to reveal if and when ovulation occurs and whether follicular and luteal phase hormone patterns are adequate (ZRT Laboratory). Unlike single-day tests that capture only a snapshot, this month-long collection provides a comprehensive hormonal "map" that identifies abnormal fluctuations, ovulation timing, and phase-specific deficiencies (Rupa Health). It's particularly valuable when standard one-time labs haven't clarified the underlying cause of menstrual or fertility symptoms.
Who would benefit from this test?
Menstruating women experiencing symptoms tied to different cycle phases—such as severe PMS/PMDD, cycle-related migraines, heavy or irregular bleeding, or suspected luteal phase defects—may benefit from detailed hormonal mapping (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists 2022). Those facing fertility concerns or difficulty conceiving, especially when standard day-21 progesterone testing has been inconclusive, can gain critical insight into ovulatory function (American Society for Reproductive Medicine 2021). The test is also useful for investigating hormone-related fatigue, mood changes, or mid-cycle symptoms when broader endocrine causes are being evaluated (Johns Hopkins Medicine 2023).
When should I order U-328 | Menstrual Cycle Mapping?
Consider ordering this test when you and your clinician need a more detailed hormonal picture than standard one-time labs can provide—for example, after inconclusive day-21 progesterone results, unexplained irregular cycles, or before fertility treatment discussions (Mayo Clinic 2024; ASRM 2021). It's particularly helpful when symptoms suggest ovulatory dysfunction or luteal phase issues that a single blood draw might miss. This comprehensive approach can reduce the need for repeated single-day tests and provide actionable data to guide treatment decisions.
How do I interpret the results?
Your laboratory report plots estradiol, progesterone, and LH levels against cycle day, creating hormone curves that show follicular rise, LH surge/ovulation, and luteal progesterone patterns (Rupa Health). Results are compared to expected phase-specific ranges to identify potential issues. Below is a guide to common interpretation patterns:
Normal LH surge with adequate luteal progesterone:
- What it means: Ovulation is confirmed and the menstrual cycle appears hormonally healthy
- Typical action: No immediate intervention needed; continue symptom monitoring
Absent or blunted LH surge:
- What it means: Possible anovulation or ovulatory dysfunction
- Typical action: Discuss fertility evaluation and potential treatment options with a clinician
Low mid-luteal progesterone:
- What it means: Possible luteal phase defect affecting cycle support
- Typical action: Consider progesterone support and/or further hormonal evaluation
Erratic estrogen peaks or low follicular estrogen:
- What it means: Follicular phase insufficiency
- Typical action: Evaluate for contributing factors such as PCOS, thyroid dysfunction, or lifestyle influences
Elevated or irregular hormone patterns across the cycle:
- What it means: Potential global hormone imbalance or stress-related endocrine disruption
- Typical action: Pursue a comprehensive metabolic and endocrine assessment
Ovulatory disorders account for approximately 25–30% of female infertility cases, making accurate identification of ovulation critical for treatment planning (ASRM 2021).
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
This test is designed for naturally menstruating women not using hormonal contraception, hormone replacement therapy, or fertility medications unless specifically advised by your clinician. Begin collection on cycle day 7, counting the first day of full menstrual flow as day 1; avoid starting during spotting only. Maintain your ordinary diet and activity level, but follow any specific medication or supplement guidance from your healthcare provider, particularly for drugs affecting sex hormones or pituitary function (ZRT Laboratory). No fasting or special preparation is required for urine collection.
How often should I get tested?
Testing frequency depends on your clinical situation and treatment response. Below are general guidelines:
- Initial evaluation of menstrual symptoms or infertility: One baseline cycle mapping
- After starting ovulation-induction therapy: Retest 2–3 months after treatment initiation
- Following lifestyle interventions (e.g., weight loss, stress reduction): Retest in 3–6 months to assess changes
- Monitoring response to hormone therapy or supplements: As recommended by your clinician, typically every 3–6 months
- Stable cycles with resolved symptoms: Retest only if symptoms recur or change
Your clinician will individualize testing frequency based on your response to treatment, symptom evolution, and reproductive goals.
Why early detection matters
Up to 10–15% of couples experience infertility, with female factors such as ovulatory dysfunction playing a major role in roughly one-third of cases (ASRM 2021; CDC 2024). Premenstrual syndrome affects an estimated 20–40% of reproductive-age women, with 3–8% experiencing severe PMDD—conditions linked to sensitivity to changing ovarian steroids rather than absolute hormone deficiency (ACOG 2022; Johns Hopkins 2023). Early identification and treatment of ovulatory disorders and reproductive endocrine issues can improve conception chances, reduce the need for invasive fertility interventions, and significantly lower healthcare costs (Mayo Clinic 2024). Comprehensive cycle mapping provides actionable data that supports timely, targeted treatment before symptoms worsen or fertility declines.
Related tests you may consider
Progesterone Blood Test, LC/MS — Confirms ovulation and evaluates luteal phase sufficiency, particularly useful when cycle mapping suggests suboptimal post-ovulatory progesterone patterns.
Estradiol (E2) Blood Test, Sensitive, LC/MS-MS — Measures circulating estrogen levels to help interpret estrogen dominance, anovulation, or follicular phase abnormalities seen on cycle mapping.
Thyroid #3 Extreme Blood Test Panel — Screens for thyroid dysfunction, a common contributor to irregular cycles, anovulation, and infertility that can mimic primary reproductive hormone imbalance.
