Luteinizing hormone

Luteinizing hormone is a hormone produced in the pituitary. In females, it triggers ovulation and the production of progesterone. In males, it increases the production of testosterone.
There is no "normal" level of luteinizing hormone in women of child-bearing age due to its cyclical nature. As such, if it is suspected that the production of the hormone is unusual, it must be tracked over a series of ovulation cycles. Women using fertility treatment will also track surges in the level of the hormone in an attempt to determine the best time for conception. A pharmaceutical preparation of the protein is also used in fertility treatments. 
Unusual hormone levels can point to several conditions from precocious puberty in children to premature menopause.
Luteinizing hormone at Wikipedia
Category:Endocrinology
Category:Hormones