Menopause home testing kits not worth it, say UK doctors

Top UK doctors have warned that at home DIY menopause urine testing kits are not predictive enough to tell whether a woman is going through the phase when their periods will stop.

Results from such kits could cause unnecessary anxiety and confusion and could even lead to unplanned pregnancies according to the British Menopause Society, as reported by The BBC.

Meanwhile, the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) says, the tests can be unhelpful and potentially misleading.  

NHS guidelines also deter FSH testing for over-45s with classic menopausal symptoms such as hot flushes, because it adds nothing diagnostically.

There are a few companies that sell UK-approved menopause tests online and in shops. No prescription is required to purchase and can be bought for around £10 for a pack of two. Test results can be observed within minutes. 

These tests accurately measure levels of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), which helps manage the menstrual cycle. However, experts say FSH is not a reliable marker of the menopause or perimenopause and that women using these tests are wasting their time and money.

FSH urine tests are "another example of exploitation of mid-life women by the commercial menopause industry, who have financial conflicts of interest" said leading menopause and hormone doctor Annice Mukherjee, from the Society of Endocrinology. 

RCOG spokesman consultant gynaecologist Haitham Hamoda, from King's College Hospital, who chairs the British Menopause Society, said: "The RCOG does not recommend over-the-counter menopause tests as they are not a good method of detecting menopause or perimenopause. 

"These tests are limited by only measuring FSH, rather than looking at the wider clinical picture.

"We would encourage women to seek support from a healthcare professional if they think they might be experiencing the menopause rather than purchasing these tests."