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Patient Guide

How to read
your results.

A plain-language guide to reference ranges, status flags, what "optimal" means for female physiology, and how to bring your data to your own clinician.

4 min read
01 - Anatomy of a result

What you see on every panel

Each biomarker result has three parts: your measured value, the lab's reference range (the low and high thresholds), and a status flag that tells you how your value compares to those thresholds.

1
Your value
The raw number measured from your blood sample - e.g. 4.2 mIU/mL for TSH. Units vary by biomarker.
2
Reference range
The range considered typical for the general population tested by the same lab. Shown as a shaded band on the range bar.
3
Status flag
A quick label - In Range, Borderline, Low, or High - derived from where your value falls relative to the thresholds.
02 - Status flags

What each color means

EllaDx uses four status flags. Two are informational; two indicate a value outside the reference range that may warrant attention or a clinician conversation.

Important: Status flags are informational, not diagnostic. Only a licensed clinician can interpret results in the context of your full medical history. If a flag concerns you, bring this report to your doctor.
03 - Reference ranges

Where the numbers come from

Lab reference ranges are established by testing large populations and marking the middle 95% as "normal." This means roughly 5% of perfectly healthy people fall outside the range on any given test - false flags are real.

Ranges also differ by lab. Quest Diagnostics (EllaDx's draw partner) calibrates its own analyzers, so our ranges may differ slightly from results you've seen elsewhere. Always compare results from the same lab.

The range bar in your panel view shows your value as a dot. The shaded green band is the in-range zone. A dot to the left of the band is low; to the right is high.

Estradiol (E2)62 pg/mL
Range: 15350 pg/mL  ·  Mid-cycle follicular range
TSH0.3 mIU/L
Range: 0.44.5 mIU/L  ·  Slightly below lower bound
Ferritin11 ng/mL
Range: 12150 ng/mL  ·  Just below reference floor
04 - Women's physiology

What “optimal” means
for women.

Standard reference ranges are often derived from mixed-sex populations - meaning the thresholds were partly shaped by male physiology. For hormones and many metabolic markers, a value that is "normal" for the average adult may not be optimal for a woman in her 30s or 40s.

EllaDx's physician review layer considers where you are in your cycle, your age, and your prior results when interpreting hormone panels. A low-normal estradiol in the mid-luteal phase tells a different story than the same number on cycle day 2.

Cycle phase matters for hormones
Estradiol, progesterone, LH, and FSH all swing dramatically across the menstrual cycle. A result is only meaningful when paired with timing.
Age context for fertility markers
AMH (anti-Müllerian hormone) and FSH baselines shift with age. EllaDx shows your value against an age-matched reference, not a generic adult range.
Thyroid and iron are often undertested
Iron deficiency and subclinical hypothyroidism are significantly more common in women - yet standard thresholds were calibrated on broader populations.
05 - Working with your clinician

Sharing your report

EllaDx results are yours to share. Your clinician can use the same data to guide conversations about treatment, follow-up testing, or referrals. You have two ways to share.

Download PDF
From any panel detail page, tap 'Download Report'. The PDF includes your values, reference ranges, and the physician note - everything a provider needs.
Forward by email
Email the PDF directly from your device. Your provider's portal can usually receive file attachments or you can bring a printout to an appointment.
What to tell your doctor
The date of your draw and which panel you ordered
Where you were in your cycle, if it was a hormone panel
Which flags you noticed and what your trend has been
Any symptoms you've been tracking in your EllaDx journal
EllaDx results are generated by a CLIA-certified laboratory and reviewed by licensed physicians. They are legally valid medical records you can share with any provider.
Your results

Ready to read
your data?

Head to your account to view your panels, download your PDF, and track your biomarker trends over time.