From Her Form's health specialists (optional 1:1 consults with Robyn available)5 min readUpdated 10 May 2026
Educational information from Her Form — reviewed for accuracy by our health specialists.
Not a substitute for personal medical advice. Optional 1:1 consults with Robyn, our consulting women's-health specialist, are available on request.
Combined hormonal contraception suppresses your own sex-hormone production — which means most of what a sex-hormone panel measures isn't your baseline. But not all markers are equal.
Markers that stay reliable on the pill
- •AMH (slightly suppressed but interpretable)
- •TSH, free T3, free T4, TPO antibodies
- •Iron, ferritin, vitamin D, B12
- •HbA1c, fasting insulin
- •Cortisol (AM)
Markers that get masked
- •FSH, LH, estradiol (suppressed by exogenous hormone)
- •Progesterone (suppressed; no luteal phase)
- •Free testosterone (often reads low — pill raises SHBG)
When to test off-pill
For a true sex-hormone baseline — and especially before fertility planning — 3 months off the pill gives the cleanest read. AMH and thyroid can be run whenever.
Educational information from Her Form — reviewed for accuracy by our health specialists. Educational content — not a substitute for personal medical advice. Discuss your specific situation with a doctor who knows your history.