Midlife lab tests explained
What common tests measure and why they may be ordered. Dot does not order or interpret lab results — your clinician does.
- TSH test: checking thyroid function at midlife
What a TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone) blood test measures, why it may be ordered at midlife, and why thyroid symptoms can overlap with perimenopause.
- A1C test: average blood sugar and diabetes risk
What the A1C blood test measures, how it is used to screen for prediabetes and type 2 diabetes, and why metabolic health matters through menopause.
- Lipid panel: cholesterol and triglycerides after menopause
What a lipid panel measures (LDL, HDL, triglycerides, total cholesterol), why cholesterol often changes around menopause, and how it fits heart-risk assessment.
- Vitamin D test: what it shows and who may need it
What a 25-hydroxy vitamin D blood test measures, why vitamin D matters for bones, and why routine testing is not recommended for everyone.
- Bone density (DXA) scan: screening for osteoporosis
What a DXA bone density scan is, what T-scores mean in general terms, and current U.S. screening recommendations for women after menopause.