Complete baseline before starting hormone replacement therapy
The short answer
Female HRT Starting Panel bundles 20 tests — CBC (Complete Blood Count), Comprehensive Metabolic Panel and Estradiol (E2) plus 17 more — for $249.99 plus one $6 lab processing fee (about $12.50 per test). Fast 8–12 hours before the draw; results post in 2-4 business days. Physician-authorized with no doctor's visit or insurance needed; one draw at Quest.
Other Labs
Starting at $500
+ lab fees
TestWell
$249.99
+ $6 lab processing fee
This panel was designed in collaboration with HRT-prescribing providers to capture a complete hormonal and metabolic baseline before initiating therapy. It includes reproductive hormones (estradiol, progesterone, testosterone, FSH, LH, prolactin, DHEA-S, SHBG), full thyroid function (TSH, Free T4, Free T3, Reverse T3), metabolic markers (fasting glucose via CMP, HbA1c, lipid panel), inflammation (hs-CRP), and nutritional status (Vitamin D, iron). These baseline values are critical for dosing decisions and monitoring therapeutic response. Note the time of your menstrual cycle when having labs drawn, and fast for 10-12 hours before the blood draw.
Pre-HRT baseline for women: Estradiol, Progesterone, FSH, LH, Testosterone, SHBG, TSH, Lipid Panel, hs-CRP, CMP, CBC. Confirms menopausal status and establishes baselines for safety monitoring.
Women considering hormone replacement therapy for menopause symptoms, women with prior HRT discontinuation considering restart, women evaluating bioidentical hormone therapy.
Sample Type
Blood draw
Fasting
Required
Results In
2-4 business days
Biomarkers
47 across 20 tests
20 individual tests · 47 biomarkers measured — each test linked so you can learn more.
Fasting for 10-12 hours is required for accurate glucose and lipid results. Water is okay. Lab draw is recommended on Day 2-3 of your menstrual cycle for the most accurate hormone levels. Morning draw preferred. If adding AMH (Anti-Mullerian Hormone), it must be drawn on Day 2-3 of your cycle.
What can throw off this result
Physician-reviewed “Before your test” pages — what each factor does, for how long, and what to do about it.
A Female HRT Starting Panel costs $249.99 at TestWell — $255.99 all-in, since the $6 lab processing fee is charged once per order and there is no draw or physician fee. With insurance you pay your plan's negotiated rate against your deductible; TestWell's price is fixed before the draw and HSA/FSA-eligible.
| Where you order | Price | One test, all-in | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| TestWell (drawn at Quest or Labcorp) | $249.99 | $255.99 | Includes the one $6 lab processing fee, charged once per order |
Competitor prices are read from the linked public pages and re-checked regularly; the labs' sites may add taxes or change prices without notice.
Compare more: Quest Diagnostics price list · Labcorp price list · Quest vs Labcorp · Lab test price checker
Sex hormones (Estradiol, Progesterone, Testosterone, SHBG), gonadotropins (FSH, LH), TSH, and safety baselines (Lipid Panel, hs-CRP, CMP for liver/kidney, CBC). About 25 individual biomarkers.
HRT can affect lipids, liver function, clotting risk, and breast cancer risk. Baseline labs let you compare for changes during therapy. Pre-HRT identification of elevated cardiovascular risk (high ApoB, hs-CRP) or hypothyroidism (which causes overlapping symptoms) helps tailor therapy and identify the right form of HRT.
Menopause Panel at $80 is focused on diagnosis (FSH, LH, Estradiol, TSH — 4 tests). Female HRT Starting Panel adds testosterone, SHBG, and safety baselines (lipids, hs-CRP, liver/kidney, CBC) — needed before initiating long-term therapy. Use Menopause for diagnosis, HRT Starting for pre-therapy baseline.
On TestWell, the Female HRT Starting Panel is $249.99. Ordering the same tests separately would be about $370. Quest Health lists comparable bundles at $500, walk-in hospital labs typically bill $1000-1500 without insurance.
Yes — 9-12 hours fasting (water only) for accurate Lipid Panel and CMP results. No fasting requirement for hormones, but morning draw is preferred for consistency.
If still cycling, draw in early follicular phase (days 3-5). If postmenopausal or amenorrheic, draw any day. Morning preferred for testosterone consistency. Stop any current HRT/estrogen cream for 24 hours before draw if testing baseline; some clinics prefer a longer washout — check with your provider.
Repeat with our Female HRT Quarterly Panel at 6-8 weeks, then every 3-6 months until stable, then annually. Monitor estradiol and progesterone levels (dose effectiveness), lipid panel (HRT can worsen lipids in some women), and liver function.
Female HRT Starting Panel results are typically ready in 2-4 business days after your draw at Quest or Labcorp. TestWell emails you the moment they post, and your results dashboard shows each marker against its reference range with a plain-English explanation.
Smoking and nicotine can change a Female HRT Starting Panel result without anything being wrong. Smoking and nicotine can raise RBC and WBC and 3 more markers on this test and can lower HDL Cholesterol and 25-Hydroxy Vitamin D — tell the clinician; a high hematocrit in a smoker is usually smoking, not polycythemia. Each is explained on our physician-reviewed "Before your test" pages; when one applies, remove it and retest.
Order the Female HRT Starting Panel online from TestWell for $249.99 (plus a $6 per-order lab processing fee) — no doctor's visit, referral or insurance needed. A licensed physician authorizes the order, then you walk into any Quest or Labcorp patient service center near you for the draw (the lab locator on our site lists the closest ones by ZIP code), and results arrive in 2-4 business days.
Medically reviewed by Youmna DiStefano, MD · Last reviewed September 2026
Starting at $500 at other labs
TestWell Price
$249.99
+ $6 lab processing fee at checkout
No insurance needed · HIPAA compliant
Individual tests that complement this panel
Female HRT Starting Panel
$249.99