What labs should women actually be asking for, and what do those numbers really tell you about your health? In this episode of Healthy As A Mother, Dr. Leah Gordon breaks down the key labs she believes women should understand, from blood sugar and fasting insulin to thyroid, iron, inflammation, reproductive hormones, vitamin D and more. She explains what these markers can reveal about metabolic health, fertility, energy, hormones, symptoms and overall health, and why looking at a single lab without the right context can sometimes miss the bigger picture.
The conversation also dives into reproductive hormone testing, including estradiol, progesterone, FSH, LH, AMH, testosterone, SHBG and DHEA, with a major emphasis on understanding where you are in your menstrual cycle when certain labs are drawn. Leah and Morgan discuss why cycle tracking and understanding ovulation can give women important context about their own health, whether they are trying to conceive, trying to avoid pregnancy, navigating postpartum or breastfeeding, or approaching perimenopause.
They also cover thyroid markers, ferritin and iron studies, hs-CRP and inflammation, cortisol, vitamin D, ANA, and the importance of considering a partner’s semen analysis when trying to conceive. The episode ultimately comes back to one central idea: learning the basics of your own health can help you ask better questions, recognize when something deserves further investigation, and become more informed about what is happening in your body.
00:00 Trailer + Introduction
03:26 Understanding Women’s Health Labs
04:58 Why Testing Matters for Women’s Health
09:29 Blood Sugar, Insulin & Metabolic Health
16:34 Thyroid Labs: TSH, T3, T4 & Antibodies
23:18 Iron & Ferritin: What Women Should Know
29:10 Inflammation & hs-CRP
33:59 Why Preconception Lab Testing Matters
38:57 Reproductive Hormones & Cycle Timing
40:52 Estradiol: When to Test Estrogen
42:17 Progesterone: When to Test It
45:37 Cycle Tracking & Knowing When You Ovulate
49:46 FSH & LH: What They Tell You
54:42 AMH & Ovarian Reserve
57:54 Testosterone, SHBG & DHEA
61:14 Cortisol, Vitamin D & Stress
62:38 ANA, Fertility & Partner Testing
63:56 Understanding Your Labs & Advocating for Your Health
Resources From This Episode:
Healthy As A Mother Podcast | YouTube
Healthy As A Mother Podcast | Instagram
Healthy As A Mother Podcast | TikTok
Healthy As A Mother Podcast | Merch Store
Find more from Dr. Leah:
Dr. Leah Gordon | Instagram
Dr. Leah Gordon | Website
Womanhood Wellness | Website
Find more from Dr. Morgan:
Dr. Morgan MacDermott | Instagram
Dr. Morgan MacDermott | Website
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