Luteinizing hormone
(LH)

Sample type

Serum

Uses

**these tests are most often used to:women, these tests are most often used to:

1_Help find the cause of infertility

2_Find out when ovulation occurs, this is the time when you are most likely to get pregnant.

3_Find the reason for irregular or stopped menstrual periods.

4_Confirm the start of menopause, or perimenopause.

**In men, these tests are most often used to:

1_Help find the cause of infertility

2_Find the reason for a low sperm count

3_Find the reason for low sex drive

**In children, these tests are most often used to help diagnose early or delayed puberty.

Precautions

Patient should not be on any Steroid, ACTH, Gonadotropin, or Estrogen medications, if possible, for at least 48 hours prior to collection.

Interferring factor

1_puberty

2_steroids

3_imbalanced hormons( estrogen, progestrone, testosterone).

Pre analytical error

Using steroids or hermonal medication affect the result

Corrective action

Do not collect the sample and ask the patient to stop taking any steroids or hormonal medications at least 48 hours

Post-analytical errors

1-Writing a wrong result or wrong name in the report

2-report were sent to incorrect patient

3-If the patient’s gender wrong in the report, and therefore I wrote the reference range wrong.

The corrective actions

1- If the report is not delivered to the patient and this error is discovered the correct result or the correct name must be written, but if the report is delivered to the patient must communicate with him and tell him that an error has occurred and replace with the correct report.

2-Communicate with patient ,apologizing for the error, and providing him with the correct report.

3-If the report is not delivered to the patient and this error is discovered the correct result must be written, but if the report is delivered to the patient must communicate with the patient, and apologize to him tell him that an error has occurred and replace with the correct report. And next time be carful to write the correct gender and the correct reference range.

Reference range

Men: 1.42 to 15.4 IU/L.

Women, follicular phase of menstrual cycle: 1.37 to 9 IU/L. Women, midcycle peak: 6.17 to 17.2 IU/L.