The need for hormonal assessments of menopausal status in laboratories is rising as a result of rising interest in women's health, the menopause, and the use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Most requests come from general practitioners, many of whom run menopausal or well-women clinics.Clinicians increasingly need scientific proof of the menopausal transition before making judgments about how to treat a patient.In light of these changes, it is appropriate to review the literature on the measurement of reproductive hormones around the menopause and look at how these measurements are used to classify menopausal status and manage patients who are on HRT.