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Science

Most of modern medicine was never studied on women.

We use the reporting lab’s reference ranges and pair results with plain-English context from published women’s health research.
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01 · The gap

The questions that made us start.

Women’s representation

Who takes part in research matters. Women’s life stages need to be reflected in how evidence is studied and explained.

Diagnostic delays

Symptoms deserve careful attention. A result in the lab’s range is one part of the picture to discuss with your clinician.

Cycle context

The timing of a hormone draw matters. Your results include the relevant cycle context.

Evidence, explained

Plain-language notes sit beside the lab’s standard range. They don’t replace a clinician’s interpretation.

02 · Reference ranges

“In range” for whom, exactly?

A lab range shows where 95 out of 100 people's results fall. But the people in that group matter. Your results show the reporting lab's own reference range, and we add plain-English notes about women's health and your cycle phase. A result being “in range” is only part of the picture.

TSH

mIU/L

The standard range comes from a mixed group of people. The cited guideline uses a TSH target below 2.5 for women treated for hypothyroidism who plan to become pregnant.1,2

  1. Alexander EK, Pearce EN, Brent GA, et al. (2017). Thyroid, 27(3): 315–3892017 ATA Guidelines: preconception TSH target <2.5 mIU/L
  2. Korevaar TIM, Medici M, Visser TJ, Peeters RP. (2017). Nature Reviews Endocrinology, 13(10): 610–622
Standard lab range
Reported on every result
0.4–4.5
2.5 · Published guideline value

Ferritin

ng/mL

The lab’s lower limit is 16 ng/mL. Studies have found fatigue, hair loss and restless legs in some women below 50 ng/mL.1,2

  1. Vaucher P, Druais PL, Waldvogel S, Favrat B. (2012). CMAJ, 184(11): 1247–1254Iron supplementation reduced fatigue in non-anemic women with ferritin <50
  2. Rushton DH. (2002). Clinical & Experimental Dermatology, 27(5): 396–404
Quest range, women 19–40
The top rises with age: 232 at 41–60, 288 over 60
16–154
50 · Study threshold

Vitamin D

ng/mL

The lab’s range begins at 30 ng/mL, the level a 2011 Endocrine Society guideline called sufficient. The Society no longer endorses that threshold: its 2024 guideline found no clear evidence for an optimal target level for preventing disease. The Institute of Medicine treats 20 ng/mL as enough for most people.1,2,3,4

  1. Holick MF, Binkley NC, Bischoff-Ferrari HA, et al. (2011). J Clin Endocrinol Metab, 96(7): 1911–19302011 Endocrine Society guideline. Its 30 ng/mL threshold is no longer endorsed
  2. Demay MB, Pittas AG, Bikle DD, et al. (2024). J Clin Endocrinol Metab, 109(8): 1907–19472024 Endocrine Society guideline: no clear evidence for an optimal target level
  3. McCartney CR, McDonnell ME, Corrigan MD, Lash RW. (2024). J Clin Endocrinol Metab, 109(8): 1948–1954Endocrine Society statement that it no longer endorses its 2011 definitions
  4. Bischoff-Ferrari HA, Willett WC, Orav EJ, et al. (2012). New England Journal of Medicine, 367(1): 40–49
Standard lab range
Reported on every result
30–100

Estradiol (luteal)

pg/mL

One general ‘female’ range can hide changes across the menstrual cycle. The cited study found different ranges for each cycle phase. EllaDx records your cycle phase beside each result.1

  1. Stricker R, Eberhart R, Chevailler MC, et al. (2006). Clin Chem Lab Med, 44(7): 883–887Reference intervals for estradiol, LH, FSH and progesterone across the menstrual cycle
Typical luteal range
Varies by lab and method; your result shows its own
30–400
03 · Validation

How a lab marker earns its place in our library.

Five steps, from a health question to keeping up with new research. Every lab marker goes through all five.

  1. 01

    Start with a health question

    Symptom → question

    Each marker starts with symptoms women report. We choose tests that may help answer questions about those symptoms, not just tests that are easy to sell.

  2. 02

    Review the research

    Published studies

    Our medical team reviews published studies. We choose tests backed by research on women. We also point out when the evidence is limited.

  3. 03

    Choose and check each test

    Under 8% variation on sensitive tests

    Quest Diagnostics runs every test in labs that meet CLIA and CAP quality standards. For low hormone levels, such as estradiol and testosterone, Quest uses highly sensitive LC/MS testing.

  4. 04

    Review women's health research

    Peer-reviewed, cited

    Our medical team reviews published women's health studies for every lab marker. Your result includes those research notes beside the standard lab range, not in place of it.

  5. 05

    Review new research

    New studies

    We remove lab markers when the support gets weaker. We also update the notes beside your results when new studies are published.

04 · The evidence

Every claim, sourced.

Papers that shaped how we think about women's diagnostics, and the ones we keep returning to when adding new markers.

  1. Cardiovascular
  2. Diagnostic delay
  3. Pain research
  4. Reference ranges

  5. Zondervan KT, Becker CM, Missmer SA. (2020)

    Endometriosis

    New England Journal of Medicine, 382: 1244–1256

    Diagnostic delay
  6. Research funding
  7. Sex differences
  8. Cardiovascular
  9. Clinical trials

Each title links to the paper’s PubMed record.

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