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The LH/FSH ratio compares two hormones: luteinising hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). A raised ratio can point to a common hormonal condition of the ovaries in women of childbearing age.[1]
On this page you can read what the LH/FSH ratio is, what the guidelines say about a value that is too low or too high, what affects your value and which values are best to look at alongside it.
Also known as: LH-FSH ratio, ratio of luteinising hormone to follicle-stimulating hormone. At the lab: n/a.
LH stands for luteinising hormone. FSH stands for follicle-stimulating hormone. The LH/FSH ratio shows how these two hormones relate to each other.[1]
A review names the ratio alongside other hormones that differ in a hormonal condition of the ovaries. Examples are GnRH, insulin, androgens and oestrogens.[1]
The condition a raised ratio can point to is common in women of childbearing age. Its features are high levels of androgens (male hormones), many small sacs in the ovaries, long periods without ovulation and changes in metabolism.[1]
According to the overview, a raised LH/FSH ratio and a high LH value are linked to difficulty getting pregnant.[1]
The hormone changes in this condition are also linked to a disrupted menstrual cycle.[1]
| Value | Can point to | Who it is for |
|---|---|---|
| Raised LH/FSH ratio[1] | a hormonal condition of the ovaries, linked to difficulty getting pregnant | women of childbearing age |
| High basal LH value[1] | the same hormonal condition of the ovaries | women of childbearing age |
Source: Yang and Chen, an overview of hormonal changes in a condition of the ovaries. The overview gives no cut-off values.[1]
A raised LH/FSH ratio can point to a common hormonal condition of the ovaries. The overview links a raised ratio, together with a high LH value, high androgens and low oestrogen, to difficulty getting pregnant.[1]
BioProfile is working on its own zones for each value, from risk to optimal. A doctor reviews those zones before they appear in your result.
In this common condition, the LH/FSH ratio is often raised. The basal LH value is often high as well.[1]
The overview describes how, in this condition, several hormones differ at the same time. Examples are GnRH, insulin, androgens and oestrogens.[1]
According to the overview, these hormone changes are linked to changes in metabolism and to a disrupted menstrual cycle.[1]
The LH/FSH ratio is included in BioProfile 121 and 150.[2]
The BioProfile editorial team wrote this page on 6 November 2026 from the sources below, which we read on 6 November 2026. Every figure on this page appears in one of those sources, with that source's number next to it. An expert is still reviewing this page; once that review is done, the expert's name and the date of the review will appear at the top. This page offers an explanation, not a diagnosis. Discuss an abnormal value with your GP.
