Medically reviewed on Oct 20, 2023 by Neka Miller, PhD. To give you technically accurate, evidence-based information, content published on the Everlywell blog is reviewed by credentialed professionals with expertise in medical and bioscience fields.
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There are many hormones at play when it comes to a woman’s menstrual cycle, her ovulation, and her ability to conceive. One of the most important hormones is known as estradiol.
Estradiol (E2) is the main form of estrogen in non-pregnant women. As one of the key hormones responsible for ovulation, estradiol is especially important for a woman’s reproductive health. Healthy estradiol levels in females play a role in reproductive function and development, as well as other key markers of health, such as bone strength.
So, what is a normal estradiol level? Are my estradiol levels normal?
Keep reading to learn more about estradiol levels—normal and abnormal—in women at different stages of life, estradiol and fertility, and more.
There are three main types of estrogen, a sex hormone that dominates in women and people assigned female at birth (AFAB). [1] These types of estrogen include [1]:
A woman’s reproductive hormone levels are typically connected with her age. Before puberty, females have low amounts of sex hormones, meaning they have low serum (blood) estradiol and low serum testosterone.
Estradiol is critically involved in various phases of sexual development, from the onset of puberty to creating the conditions for a healthy pregnancy at peak fertility age. Levels of estradiol fluctuate throughout a person’s life, but the most obvious hormone level fluctuations occur over the course of the menstrual cycle. [1]
The follicular phase spans days 1 to 14 of an average 28-day menstrual cycle, beginning with menstruation and ending with ovulation. During this phase, an egg cell develops in the follicle prior to its release (ovulation). Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels rise as the egg cell develops and fall abruptly after ovulation. [2]
In the follicular phase, estradiol levels normally follow the pattern below [2]:
The ovulation phase starts after high estrogen levels and the surge of LH and FSH dispatch the mature egg from the dominant follicle. After ovulation, estradiol levels begin to drop. The low decline typically lasts for 1 or 2 days.
After ovulation, the luteal phase begins. The luteal phase spans approximately days 14 to 28 of an average 28-day cycle. [3]
During the luteal phase, healthy reproductive hormone levels adhere to the following pattern:
If you’re planning on starting or growing your family, estradiol tests can be used to help determine when you’re ovulating. By knowing when you ovulate, it’s easier to pinpoint your fertile window—the duration in the female reproductive cycle when conception is especially likely.
Are your estradiol levels normal? There are two main ways to test your estradiol levels [4]:
Home estradiol or E2 tests take a small sample of blood, typically at different stages of the menstrual cycle. By doing this, they can see how much E2 is in the bloodstream to determine normal baseline and peak estradiol levels throughout an individual’s cycle.
To see how your own estradiol levels rise and fall, consider taking an at-home fertility test. It’s easy to use and understand—and comes with everything you need to collect your samples from the convenience of home and send it to the lab for testing.
When you have blood drawn in a doctor’s office, normal estradiol levels fall between 30 and 400 picograms per milliliter (pg/ML) in adult women who experience regular menstrual cycles (premenopause). [5]
Pregnant women possess much higher levels of estradiol than non-pregnant women; they also have very high levels of estriol (E3). After menopause (postmenopause), estradiol levels from venipuncture are typically between 0 and 30 pg/mL for postmenopausal women who aren’t on estrogen therapy. [5]
Generally speaking, estradiol levels in women vary widely throughout different menstrual cycle phases. They’re also impacted by factors like:
In fact, one key thing to keep in mind when it comes to testing for normal estradiol levels is that reference ranges can differ depending on the sample type, the day of collection, and the laboratory conducting the test. Each lab must define its own reference range for each type of test. This is because collection kit materials, chemicals used to perform testing, lab instruments, and more can vary from lab to lab.
These variations are a normal part of the lab testing process, so it’s best to interpret your estradiol test results using the reference ranges provided by the laboratory used for testing.
The typical benchmark for elevated (high) estradiol levels is beyond 350 or 500 pg/ML in venous samples retrieved from adult women who have regular menstrual cycles.
Elevated levels of estradiol can also result from [6]:
Elevated estradiol can also result from certain underlying medical conditions that cause the overproduction of estrogen, such as [6]:
PCOS is another condition that commonly results in high estradiol levels.6 In PCOS, many ovarian follicles simultaneously produce estradiol, causing exceptionally elevated estrogen levels. [6]
Low estrogen levels in women at certain points of the menstrual cycle are normal. However, exhibiting consistently low estradiol levels could indicate an underlying health condition, such as [7]:
Stressors could include excessive alcohol or drug use, excessive exercise, or nutritional deficiencies. [9] It may also result from a problem with the pituitary gland, which stimulates the production of FSH and LH hormones, or other parts of the brain.9 Treatment typically involves hormonal therapy and, if possible, taking steps to reduce the amount of stress you’re under to improve both sexual function and your quality of life. [9]
If you’re in your late reproductive years, lower-than-average estradiol levels could simply mean you’re approaching a new phase of your reproductive life cycle—menopause. [7] In fact, a sustained rise in FSH levels generally signals the onset of menopause. Typically, an elevated FSH level for a period of more than 12 months indicates a transition into menopause.
If you’re trying to become pregnant at this stage, a trusted healthcare provider can provide some guidance on hormone therapy, estrogen therapy, and other treatments to support your fertility.
If you’re planning for pregnancy or just generally wondering, “What are normal estradiol levels?”, you can use the Everlywell at-home Women’s Fertility Test to easily check your hormone levels from the comfort of your own home.
With just a small sample of blood (collected with a simple finger prick), you can check your levels of 5 different hormones related to fertility: estradiol, luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, total testosterone, and thyroid-stimulating hormone. And you receive your results securely online—so you can easily access insights on your hormone balance whenever you want.
For an even more comprehensive look at your hormone levels, try the at-home Women’s Health Test. By measuring 10 key hormones that play important roles in a woman’s health, the test can reveal a potential hormonal imbalance that may be keeping you from feeling your best.