If you’re trying to conceive, understanding your normal LH levels is one of the most important steps in identifying your fertile window. Luteinizing hormone (LH) plays a key role in ovulation, and tracking your LH levels can help you find your most fertile days. But with so much confusion around LH levels in women, what’s considered normal? What does it mean if your LH seems low or high? And how can you optimize LH levels naturally?
What Are LH Levels?
LH levels, short for luteinizing hormone levels, refer to the amount of LH circulating in your body at any given time. LH is a reproductive hormone produced by the pituitary gland and plays a critical role in the menstrual cycle and triggering ovulation.
Here’s why LH matters when you’re trying to conceive:
- LH levels rise sharply—known as the LH surge—about 24 to 36 hours before ovulation.
- This surge signals your ovaries to release a mature egg, making it the best time to have sex if you want to get pregnant.
- Tracking LH levels with ovulation predictor kits (OPKs) can help identify your most fertile days.
What Are Normal LH Levels During the Menstrual Cycle?
Normal LH levels in females vary greatly depending on where you are in your cycle.
- During the follicular phase, LH levels stay low but begin to rise as you approach ovulation.
- During ovulation, LH levels rise and then spike dramatically; this is called the LH surge. This happens about 24-36 hours before ovulation.
- During the luteal phase, after ovulation, LH levels drop back down to baseline.
What Can Cause Irregular LH Levels?
Causes of Low LH
- Malnutrition
- Pituitary gland or hypothalamus dysfunction
- Postmenopause
Causes of High LH
- Obesity
- Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)
- Perimenopause
Some women experience abnormally high or low levels of LH and it’s possible that those results are related to an underlying condition. When your LH is out-of-range, it also affects your other hormones. When TTC, monitoring your LH level can not only help you get pregnant faster, it can help you discover fertility issues much quicker.
Since LH is secreted from the pituitary gland and regulated by the hypothalamus, there is a direct relationship between low LH levels and dysfunction of either part of the brain.
Women with PCOS tend to see higher baseline levels of LH each cycle. The absence of a significant LH surge is what contributes to anovulation.
Perimenopausal women are likely to see a drastic increase in LH followed by a gradual decline during the postmenopausal period.
Understanding LH Test Results: Common Questions
What Does a Low LH Level Mean?
Low LH levels during your follicular or luteal phases are normal. However, consistently low LH levels without a surge may indicate:
- Hormonal imbalances (could be the thyroid or even something like PCOS)
- A problem with the pituitary gland
- Age – LH levels naturally decline with aging.
If you’re not seeing a surge at all over a few cycles, ovulation may not be occurring and you may need to visit your medical provider to dive into the root cause.
What Does a High LH Level Mean?
An elevated LH level during your predicted fertile window is a strong sign that ovulation may be approaching. LH levels typically surge about 24-36 hours before ovulation, so a rise in LH is what you are looking for when trying to time sex to get pregnant.
But not all high LH readings are the same. What matters most is identifying your LH peak–the highest point of the surge–and seeing it drop afterwards.
If LH levels stay high outside of your fertile window, it could indicate conditions like PCOS or premature ovarian insufficiency (POI). In women with PCOS, LH often remains moderately elevated throughout the cycle, which can make it difficult to spot a true LH surge.
What If My LH Levels Don’t Surge or Peak?
If you’re not seeing an LH peak at all when testing, it could mean:
- You’re not ovulating (anovulatory cycle)
- You’re missing your surge by testing at the wrong time
- Your surge is very brief or lower than average
Using quantitative ovulation tests that provide more precise LH levels (not just positive/negative results) that can help you catch subtle surges.
What LH Level Indicates Ovulation?
When using at-home urine testing strips, there isn’t a specific “number” you are looking for to determine ovulation. You will want to follow the instructions provided by the brand you are using. For example, with Easy@Home qualitative ovulation testing strips, you would compare your test line to the control line. The test line being as dark or darker than the control line would be a sign of an LH surge.
With quantitative Premom LH strips, you aren’t comparing the test line to the control line; instead, they provide a more precise LH level, which would be great for someone who has higher or inconsistent levels of LH, like with PCOS.
This all may sound a little confusing, but that is why we have a resource like Premom, where the app scans and reads the results for you, providing insights and feedback, no guessing.
Can My LH Peak Change Each Cycle?
Yes, you may find that each cycle you are getting different results for “Peak”. For example, in one cycle, you may see 0.8 as Peak in the Premom app, and in the next cycle, it may be 1.5.. Since LH is a hormone that fluctuates, it’s normal to see different peak readings from cycle to cycle–and both ratios can still lead to ovulation.
These differences are not an indication of a better or worse ovulation cycle. More importantly, we want to focus on finding your personal LH peak, having sex during the fertile window, and then tracking LH back down to baseline.
Do LH Levels Drop After Ovulation?
Yes, after ovulation, LH should drop back to their baseline. That’s because LH’s main job is to trigger the release of the egg. Once that happens, your body shifts its focus to the next phase of your menstrual cycle.
In the second half, the luteal phase, the hormone progesterone takes over. It helps prepare your uterine lining for implantation and supports early pregnancy if conception does occur.
If you are tracking your LH with ovulation tests, you should see your levels rise to a peak and then drop, which is a good predictor of ovulation. If you have sustained high levels after ovulation, this could indicate some type of hormone imbalance, especially for women with PCOS.
What is a Normal LH Level in PCOS?
In PCOS, LH levels are often higher than normal, even outside of ovulation, which can make interpreting test results more challenging. Some women may see consistently high numbers, sometimes close to what would be an LH surge, but without actually ovulating.
This is why it’s important to track over time and look for an LH peak, which is a noticeable rise above your personal baseline that then drops. This pattern is more reliable than looking at any single high test result.
And just know, there’s no exact LH level that makes someone with PCOS more or less likely to ovulate. What matters most is learning your own hormone patterns and how your body signals ovulation.
Not everyone with PCOS will have high LH, which is why personalized tracking is important when trying ot get pregnant. It helps you better understand your cycle and gives you helpful insights to bring to your doctor if needed.
Can You Get Pregnant with Low LH?
It’s possible, but it could come with some difficulty. Without a proper LH surge, your body may not ovulate, making conception challenging.
Monitoring LH levels with ovulation tests and Premom can help you determine if and when you’re ovulating naturally. If you have consistently low LH levels and are not finding a surge, you may want to consult your doctor to see if you need any testing done.
How to Support LH Levels Naturally
If you are not finding an LH surge and think your levels may be low, there are a few natural things you could try to help:
- Reduce Stress: Chronic stress can suppress LH production. Yoga, meditation, light exercise, sleep and mindfulness can help.
- Nutrition: Eat a balanced diet rich in healthy fats, protein, fruits and vegetables.
- Exercise in Moderation: Moving your body is a great way to increase blood flow, especially to those reproductive organs! You don’t want to overdo it, but regular moderate activity can help.
- Supplements: Certain supplements, like Inositol Plus, may support hormonal balance.* It’s a good idea to always talk to your doctor before starting any supplements.
How Premom Helps You Track LH and Ovulation
Using ovulation predictor kits (OPKs) and the Premom app can help you decode your LH levels more accurately.
Here’s how:
- Quantitative Ovulation Tests: Instead of just giving you a positive or negative, these tests show your actual LH level from 5 to 65 mIU/mL, helping you see gradual increases leading up to your surge. These are great if you’re having a hard time finding an LH surge and are unsure of when you are ovulating.
- Tracking in an App: Premom lets you scan your LH test results and charts your surges over time, making it easier to predict ovulation in future cycles. The app also provides feedback and friendly reminders to keep you on track with your goals.
FAQs About LH and Ovulation Testing
Is it normal to have a very low LH Peak?
Some women naturally have lower surges that barely cross the threshold and that could be normal for them. This is why it is a great idea to track overtime to see if you have any specific patterns. You could also try the quantitative testing strips to see exactly where those LH levels stand.
Why are my LH readings fluctuating so much, and how do I know when I’m ovulating?
Daily fluctuations in LH levels are common. Focus on identifying the highest point—your LH surge—which typically signals ovulation within 24–36 hours. Using multiple methods of tracking could help you better identify when you are most fertile. For example, using ovulation tests in combination with basal body temperature (BBT) tracking and cervical mucus tracking.
My Premom app says I’m ovulating, but my LH is low. What does that mean?
Premom gives predictions based on your past cycles; however, each cycle can be different. If your LH level is low during your predicted fertile window, it’s possible you haven’t surged yet. Keep testing, and watch for that rise in LH.
What does a low LH reading, like 0.65 on the Premom app mean?
An LH level of 0.65 IU/L is considered low, but it could be a sign that you are starting your surge. You want to keep testing, twice per day between 10 am and 8 pm, to be sure you don’t miss the peak.
Understanding your normal LH levels is one of the most powerful tools in your fertility journey. By tracking your luteinizing hormone (LH) levels, interpreting your surges (the Premom app can help with that), and timing sex during the fertile window, you can increase your chances of getting pregnant naturally.
If you are ready to start your trying to conceive journey, download the free Premom app and start using ovulation tests for insights into your cycle.
References
Mayo Clinic Laboratories. LH – Overview: Luteinizing Hormone (LH), Serum. MayoClinicLabs.com.
*This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
