FSH is an abbreviation for Follicle Stimulating Hormone. This hormone is produced in the pituitary gland and "tells" the ovary to produce follicle cysts and estrogen. When the ovary starts to run out of strong follicle cysts, the FSH level in the blood goes up and stays up. A "menopausal" level of FSH is a "high" level, usually over 35. The FSH level in a woman with normal ovarian function can occasionally be high at a certain time in her menstrual cycle.