The Labs I Wish Every Mom Knew to Ask For (At Every Stage of Life)
One of the most common things I hear from women in my office is: “I had labs done… they said everything was normal.” And then immediately follows that with telling me she’s exhausted, anxious, waking up at 3am, gaining weight, has zero libido, or just doesn’t feel like herself anymore.
Well, of course everything is going to look normal when only 1 or 2 markers are actually tested.
Women experience different stages in their lives. Pregnancy, postpartum, perimenopause, menopause… which all have completely different effects on the body.
So here’s a guide to the labs I actually recommend women ask for and why they matter most.
Pregnancy & Pre-Conception
Goal: Grow a healthy baby without depleting mom
Ask your provider to check:
Iron Status
Iron Panel with Ferritin
CBC
Why: In my opinion, just checking a CBC isn’t enough to determine if iron levels are adequate. Many women I see have a normal CBC with normal blood counts. You can pass anemia screening but still have low iron stores. Having adequate iron levels will increase fertility chances. Pregnant women require more iron, which is why many pre-natals include iron in their formulations.
Thyroid panel
TSH
Free T4
Free T3
TPO antibodies
Why: TSH can be completely normal even if there is a thyroid imbalance which is why I like to see a full picture of the thyroid levels. Thyroid hormones are important for fertility and support fetal brain development. Thyroid antibodies increase miscarriage risk even if TSH looks normal. Thyroid requirements also increase with pregnancy. Women who already take thyroid medication may need to adjust their dosing during pregnancy.
Hormones (especially pre-conception or early pregnancy)
Mid-luteal Progesterone
Why: I often call Progesterone the Pregnancy Hormone. Progesterone stabilizes implantation. Progesterone is needed to become pregnant and sustain a healthy pregnancy.
Key Nutrients
Vitamin D
B12
Folate
Zinc
Why: Vitamin D, folate, and zinc help the body successfully support early pregnancy, not just grow a baby later on. Vitamin D regulates immune balance and placental development, folate drives rapid cell division and early embryo formation, and zinc supports egg quality, hormone signaling, and tissue growth. When levels are low, implantation, development, and recovery all become harder, which is why checking them early allows correction
Metabolic labs
HbA1c
Glucose
Why: Pregnancy can carry a risk of gestational diabetes so blood sugar markers should be screened and monitored.
Postpartum
Goal: Rebuild the mother
Most postpartum symptoms blamed on “new mom life” correlate strongly with common hormone or nutrient deficiencies.
I would include similar labs as the Pregnancy Labs for slightly different reasons:
Ask your provider to check:
Iron recheck
Ferritin
CBC
Why: Most postpartum women I see complain of anxiety, depression and hair shedding. All of these can be linked to low iron which is common with women postpartum.
Thyroid testing
TSH
Free T4
Free T3
Why: Postpartum thyroiditis often looks like anxiety or depression.
Mood & brain nutrients
Vitamin D
B12
Why: Postpartum depression is very common. Most patients I see have low Vitamin D or B12 which will make the mood issues worse.
Hormones
Prolactin
Why: Hormones don’t immediately normalize after birth and imbalances affect sleep, mood and libido. Prolactin is a hormone that helps produce breast milk. Levels should be elevated if a mom is breastfeeding.
Perimenopause (Usually Late 30s–40s)
Goal: Explain the “I suddenly feel overwhelmed” phase
Hormone fluctuation begins years before menopause and affects mood and metabolism more than cycles. I like to get a baseline from my patients as early as possible so we can track them as they start to experience hormonal changes.
Ask your provider to check:
Hormones
Estradiol
Progesterone
Testosterone
DHEA-S
Cortisol
Why: Progesterone is also the calming hormone. Lower levels can show up as anxiety or trouble sleeping in my perimenopausal women.
Estrogen — the regulator
Instead of steadily decreasing, estrogen fluctuates up and down during perimenopause. These swings can cause mood changes, brain fog, breast tenderness, and migraines.
Testosterone — motivation and sex drive
Supports energy, focus, muscle tone, and libido. When it drops, many women feel less motivated, and more easily fatigued.
Cortisol — the stress hormone
Most moms I know have some level of stress. Cortisol imbalances are very common and can present as too high or too low. Common signs include afternoon crashes, wired-tired evenings, and waking around 2–4am.
Metabolic labs
Fasting insulin
A1c
Why: Many perimenopausal moms I see complain they are gaining belly fat regardless of what they eat or how much they work out. Insulin resistance drives new belly weight gain despite unchanged habits.
Menopause
Goal: Protect bones, brain, and your heart!
Ask your provider to check:
Hormones
Estradiol
Progesterone
Testosterone
Pregnenolone
FSH (optional confirmation)
Why: Menopause means that a woman is no longer getting a cycle but can experience all the menopausal symptoms due to little or no hormones. Many of my female patients are on HRT in menopause so I always monitor hormone levels. I would add Pregnenolone and DHEA-s to the list for menopause as well.
Estradiol - The menopausal moms I see in my office are hot and sweaty (but not in a good way) and experiencing vaginal dryness which can all be linked back to the loss of estrogen.
Pregnenolone is the main hormone. Levels often decline with age, and lower amounts may contribute to brain fog, lower stress tolerance, and reduced mental clarity in menopause.
When FSH is high it is further confirmation a woman is in menopause
Bone health
Vitamin D
Calcium
Parathyroid hormone (PTH)
Why: Bone loss accelerates after menopause, which is why it is important to optimize vitamin D and calcium levels. The parathyroid can affect both of those levels.
Cardiovascular risk
Lipid panel
Fasting insulin
Why: Heart disease risk rises due to metabolic shifts, including menopause.
Inflammation
hs-CRP
Why: Chronic inflammation predicts long-term disease risk.
Post-Menopause
Goal: Longevity and cognitive protection
This stage is less about symptoms and more about preventing the conditions that become more common in the 60s and 70s: cognitive decline, frailty, metabolic disease, and cardiovascular risk.
Ask your provider to check:
Brain health
Homocysteine
B12
Why: Elevated homocysteine is associated with memory decline and vascular dementia risk, and is often correctable when detected early. B12 is one nutrient that can help regulate homocysteine levels. B12 levels are often depleted post-menopause due to lower stomach acid levels.
Glucose & insulin regulation
Fasting insulin
HbA1c
Fasting glucose
Why: Insulin resistance accelerates after menopause and strongly influences brain health, weight distribution, and cardiovascular disease risk
Muscle & vitality
Testosterone
DHEA-S
Why: Supports strength and resilience as we get older.
Inflammation & cardiovascular health
hs-CRP
Why: After menopause, heart disease risk rises more from inflammation. Prevention is key with inflammation.
If you’ve been told your labs are “normal” but you still don’t feel like yourself, it may be time to ask deeper questions. Understanding which labs matter at each stage of motherhood empowers you to advocate for your health instead of accepting exhaustion as your new baseline.
Editor’s note: At Hello Mamas, we love sharing great health and wellness tips, but this is not medical advice. Always consult your doctor or healthcare team before starting any new routine or treatment. Also, at Hello Mamas, we share products we personally love and may earn a small commission from affiliate links. This doesn’t affect the price you pay. We only recommend products we genuinely believe in, but your experience may vary.
