If you have irregular periods, mood swings, acne, fatigue or unexplained weight gain, you might be looking for a hormone test that gives you real insights. The UK private hormone testing market has grown fast and the choice can feel overwhelming. This guide compares the leading UK options, explains the trade-offs between blood, urine and saliva testing and helps you pick the right test for your symptoms or life stage.
Three types of hormone test (and why the sample matters)
UK hormone tests fall into three categories: blood, urine and saliva.
Blood tests are the traditional approach and what your GP will use. Most private companies offer either a finger-prick capillary sample at home or a venous draw at a clinic. A blood test gives a single snapshot of hormone levels at the moment of collection.
Urine tests, often called dried urine spot tests or DUTCH tests, collect multiple samples across one day. The lab averages the readings to account for the natural pulses in hormone release. Urine testing also captures hormone metabolites, which show how your body processes oestrogen and testosterone after use.
Saliva tests measure free, biologically active hormone levels. Several samples can be collected through the day making it useful for mapping cortisol across the day. Saliva is less commonly used for reproductive hormones in the UK private market.
Why the sample type matters. A 2024 British Medical Journal investigation found that finger-prick blood testing for oestradiol returned inaccurate results in many cases. Hormones release in pulses through the day rather than a steady stream. A single blood draw can miss a peak or catch a trough, which is why averaging multiple urine samples tends to give a more reliable picture for cycling women.
Why NHS hormone testing rarely gives the full picture
Hormone testing on the NHS is harder to access than most women expect. GP testing is offered only in specific clinical situations and the panels tend to be narrow.
PCOS testing on the NHS
PCOS testing on the NHS often relies on ultrasound alone. If hormones are checked, testosterone is usually the only androgen tested. Other androgens like DHEA-S, androstenedione and DHT can drive PCOS symptoms but rarely get measured. Read our guide on hormone testing for PCOS.
Perimenopause testing on the NHS
Perimenopause testing on the NHS, when offered, is limited to FSH. FSH fluctuates wildly during perimenopause so a single reading offers little real insight. Oestrogen and progesterone, the hormones driving most symptoms, are not part of standard GP testing for perimenopausal women. Read our dedicated guide on perimenopause hormone testing.
Thyroid testing on the NHS
Thyroid testing through the NHS typically includes TSH only, sometimes free T4. A full thyroid picture needs free T3, free T4 and thyroid antibodies, which most GPs will not order without specific clinical indication.
For a comprehensive picture, private hormone testing is often the only practical route in the UK.
UK private hormone tests compared
The leading UK private hormone tests for women, compared on the dimensions that matter for accuracy and clinical value.
| Test | Sample type | Hormones included | Practitioner review | Typical price | Turnaround |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FUTURE WOMAN Advanced Hormone Test | Dried urine, multiple samples across one day | 30+ markers including reproductive hormones, adrenal hormones, hormone metabolites, thyroid, gut and nutrient markers | Registered nutritionist with personalised health plan, including supplement, diet and lifestyle protocol | £399 | Around 14 working days |
| Medichecks Female Hormone Blood Test | Finger-prick or venous blood | Oestradiol, FSH, LH, prolactin, testosterone, SHBG and free androgen index | GP-reviewed report | From £79 | 2 to 4 working days |
| Hertility Hormone and Fertility Test | Finger-prick blood | AMH, FSH, LH, oestradiol, progesterone, testosterone, prolactin, SHBG, TSH and free thyroxine | Doctor-reviewed report | From £149 | Around 10 working days |
| Thriva Advanced Hormone Profile | Finger-prick blood | Oestradiol, FSH, LH, testosterone, SHBG, prolactin and TSH | GP-reviewed report | From £109 | 5 to 7 working days |
| Forth Female Hormone Health | Finger-prick or venous blood | Oestradiol, FSH, LH, progesterone, testosterone, SHBG and prolactin | GP-reviewed traffic-light dashboard | From £109 | 2 to 4 working days |
| Newson Health Hormone Profile | Venous blood at clinic | Oestradiol, FSH, LH, testosterone, SHBG and thyroid panel | Requires additional doctor-led consultation | From £110 | 5 to 10 working days |
Note: prices and turnaround times are accurate at time of writing. It’s always worth checking each provider’s website before ordering.
What the comparison shows. Blood-based tests dominate the UK market and tend to be cheaper and faster. They give you a single snapshot. Urine-based testing through FUTURE WOMAN is more comprehensive and includes hormone metabolites that blood tests cannot show. The trade-off is longer turnaround and higher cost. Whether comprehensive or fast is the right fit depends on what you are trying to find out.
How to choose the right test for your situation
If you have irregular cycles or suspect PCOS
Prioritise tests that include multiple androgens, not testosterone alone. PCOS can be driven by DHEA-S, androstenedione and other androgens. The FUTURE WOMAN tests cover these as standard. Hertility’s panel covers reproductive hormones plus thyroid, which helps rule out other causes. A basic blood panel showing only testosterone may miss the cause.
If you suspect perimenopause
FSH alone is not enough. You need oestradiol, progesterone and ideally adrenal and inflammation markers since perimenopausal symptoms often interact with stress hormones and are worsened by inflammation. A urine-based test that captures hormone metabolism is also useful, especially for oestrogen, as oestrogen levels can reach higher levels than at any other time in your reproductive life. Our guide on perimenopause hormone testing covers the detail.
If you are postmenopausal or not getting a cycle
A single point-in-time test is more reliable since hormones do not fluctuate the same way through the cycle. Any of the tests above will work. FUTURE WOMAN, Hertility and Newson Health offer the broadest panels.
If you are on HRT
Urine testing is the preferred option for women on HRT. Multiple samples across the day show whether your dose is in the right range and how your body is metabolising the hormones, particularly oestrogen. Some women clear oestrogen down a less favourable pathway, which can drive symptoms even at standard doses. Spotting this early lets you adjust dose or add support before problems develop.
Avoid finger-prick blood testing if you use transdermal HRT (creams, gels, patches or sprays). Trace amounts of hormone on the skin can contaminate the blood spot, returning falsely high readings that do not reflect your true circulating levels. A clinic venous draw avoids the contamination issue. Urine testing avoids the issue entirely.
If you are trying to conceive
Many fertility tests, including those offered by Hertility, lead with AMH (anti-Mullerian hormone), which estimates ovarian reserve.
AMH has a real place in IVF planning and suspected early menopause. As a general fertility predictor though, AMH can be unreliable and lead to feelings of fear and anxiety. The test indicates how many eggs you have, but not the quality of those eggs. Quality is what determines whether conception leads to a healthy pregnancy. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has stated on record that AMH is not a reliable predictor of time to pregnancy.
What to test instead. Confirm ovulation is happening with progesterone in the second half of your cycle. Then check the markers that drive egg quality and broader fertility: oestrogen, androgens, cortisol and stress markers, key nutrients (B6, B12), oxidative stress, methylation status and inflammation. These are markers you can optimise through diet, supplements and lifestyle, which is the point of testing. The FUTURE WOMAN Advanced Hormone Test covers all of these.
If your budget is tight
Medichecks, Thriva and Forth offer entry-level hormone panels from around £79 to £109. These give you a first look at standard reproductive hormones. The trade-off is no adrenal markers, no hormone metabolites and limited interpretation beyond a values report.
Which hormones should you test?
A complete hormone test for women should cover reproductive hormones (oestrogen, progesterone, testosterone and other androgens) and adrenal hormones (cortisol and DHEA). Stress and adrenal function influence reproductive hormone balance, so testing both together gives a clearer root-cause picture.
Hormone metabolites are the next layer. After your body uses oestrogen, progesterone and testosterone, the liver and gut clear them. If clearance is slow or shifted down a less healthy pathway, you can for example experience symptoms of high oestrogen (heavy or painful periods, breast tenderness) even when oestrogen levels test as normal. Blood tests can not capture metabolites. Urine-based tests can. Read more on why hormone metabolism matters.
Other useful markers include inflammation, gut dysbiosis and key nutrients such as B6 and B12. These help identify root causes that hormone levels alone may not reveal.
Why test timing matters
For women still cycling, when you test changes what you see. Reproductive hormones rise and fall through the menstrual cycle, so a day 3 test gives a different picture from a day 21 test (mid luteal phase).
Many private hormone tests default to day 3 or 4, when oestrogen and progesterone are at their lowest. This window has a narrow purpose. Day 3 values help rule out acute conditions like cancers or early menopause but tell you little about what is driving everyday symptoms. Testing in the second half of your cycle does two jobs. The peak picks up whether you ovulated and captures hormone levels at the time women are most likely to feel symptomatic, which is when the data matters most.
FUTURE WOMAN tests in the second half of the cycle, around day 19 to 22 for a 28-day cycle, when progesterone should peak. Confirming ovulation matters for fertility, perimenopause assessment and overall reproductive health.
If you are postmenopausal or do not have a cycle, you can test on any day. Read our guide on picking the right day for testing.
NHS or private: which should you choose?
Start with your GP. If your symptoms fit a clear clinical pattern, NHS testing is free and may be enough. Push for the broader thyroid panel if relevant.
Go private when the NHS panel will not answer your question. Common reasons fall into two categories. First, symptom-driven concerns: heavy or painful periods, bad PMS or PMDD, hormonal acne, persistent fatigue or low libido. Second, life-stage and clinical concerns: an unclear PCOS picture beyond testosterone, perimenopause symptoms with normal FSH, fertility planning, recurrent miscarriage and a desire to understand hormone metabolism. Private testing also gives you faster turnaround and access to expert interpretation rather than a list of values.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most accurate hormone test for women?
Accuracy depends on what you are measuring and when. For cycling women, urine-based tests that average multiple samples across a day reduce error from natural hormone pulses. The 2024 BMJ investigation flagged finger-prick blood oestradiol as often inaccurate. For postmenopausal women, blood and urine give similar reliability since hormone fluctuation is lower.
How do I get my hormone levels checked in the UK?
Either through your GP for limited NHS panels or through a private testing company for a more comprehensive picture. Private tests can be ordered online and completed at home, with results turnaround ranging from a few days to two weeks.
Are home hormone tests accurate?
Home test accuracy varies by sample type and lab quality. Properly collected dried urine samples processed in an accredited lab give clinical-grade accuracy. Finger-prick blood spot tests have shown more variable accuracy in independent reviews, particularly for oestradiol.
Can I get hormone testing on the NHS?
Yes, but the panels are narrow. Standard GP hormone testing usually covers TSH, FSH and sometimes testosterone, depending on your symptoms and your GP's discretion. Comprehensive testing including hormone metabolites, adrenal hormones or full thyroid panels typically requires going private.
What is the best hormone test for perimenopause?
We have written a dedicated guide on testing during perimenopause that covers which hormones to test, when in your cycle to test and how to interpret fluctuating results. Read the perimenopause hormone testing guide.
What is the best hormone test for PCOS?
We have written a dedicated guide on hormone testing for PCOS that covers which androgens matter, why testosterone alone is not enough and how to interpret PCOS-specific patterns. Read the PCOS hormone testing guide.
Introducing FUTURE WOMAN's Advanced Hormone Test
The FUTURE WOMAN Advanced Hormone Test analyses over 30 markers including reproductive hormones, adrenal hormones, hormone metabolites, thyroid function, key nutrients and gut health markers. The test uses dried urine spot samples collected over one day, processed at an accredited lab. Every result is reviewed by a registered nutritionist who builds a personalised health plan covering diet, lifestyle and supplements based on your specific picture.
If you want the most comprehensive insight into your hormonal health, with timing built around your cycle and expert interpretation included, this is the test we recommend.
