Anti-Mullerian Hormone (AMH) is a key player in understanding a woman’s ovarian reserve, which refers to the number of eggs remaining in her ovaries. As women age, their ovarian reserve naturally declines, and AMH levels can give us a snapshot of this process.
AMH stands for Anti-Mullerian Hormone – a hormone secreted by the cells surrounding the tiny follicles in your ovaries that hold the tiny eggs that may one day grow up to be bigger follicles holding bigger eggs that may be ovulated and fertilised and become a baby.
AMH levels can vary widely among women and should always be compared with others of the same or similar age. A low AMH level might suggest that your ovarian reserve is low - that there maybe aren’t as many eggs left in the pool, while a high AMH level could that there are LOTS of eggs left, or that perhaps you may even have a condition called PCOS (a topic for another blog sometime!).
But here’s the catch: AMH is not an indicator of egg quality. You could have LOTS of eggs in your ovaries and have some other reason why you are not conceiving… or you could have very few eggs left, but conceive next month!. In my more than 20 years in the field as an embryologist and fertility educator, I’ve seen and helped many women with low AMH levels become mothers to healthy children.
So, even if you have a low AMH level, it doesn’t necessarily mean you won’t be able to conceive. It’s just one piece of the puzzle in understanding your reproductive health.
What is an AMH Test?
The AMH test or “egg timer test” is a test that your GP or fertility specialist may request when doing routine investigations for infertility.
An AMH test may also be requested if there is a suspicion of an ovarian tumour.
Measuring the amount of AMH in your blood stream can give an indication of how many tiny follicles there are in your ovaries, which can be an indication of high or low egg count, and how long you’ve “got left” before you hit menopause.
*Please note the words can and indication… these are REALLY important words in this sentence.
Measurement of AMH is absolutely NOT a measure of your egg quality or fertility – all it is is an indication of how many tiny follicles there might be left in your ovaries.
You might have only a few of these tiny ovarian follicles left, meaning you have fewer eggs, or you might have hundreds – but it makes ABSOLUTELY no difference to your chances of conceiving in any given month.
You could have only a few and get pregnant next month, or you could have HEAPS, but have two blocked tubes, or some other issue which could mean that you need IVF or other fertility treatments to conceive.
Regardless of your fertility, AMH testing can help you consider your reproductive options sooner.
Factors that Influence AMH Levels
Several factors can influence your AMH levels, including age, hormonal conditions like polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), ovarian surgery, menstrual cycle and exposure to chemotherapy. Even certain medications and supplements, like biotin, can affect your AMH levels.
It’s important to note that AMH levels can fluctuate from month to month. A single test result might not provide a complete picture of your ovarian reserve. Therefore, it’s often recommended to have multiple AMH tests over time to get a more accurate understanding.
By considering these factors, you can better interpret your AMH test results and make informed decisions about your reproductive health.
Why Get an AMH Blood Test?
An AMH test is a simple blood test – a non-invasive way to measure the level of Anti-Mullerian Hormone in your blood, providing valuable insights into your ovarian reserve (remaining egg count). If you’re trying to conceive and facing challenges, this test can help you understand your ovarian reserve and guide you towards the best course of action.
For those considering fertility treatments like IVF, an AMH test can be particularly useful. It helps determine whether you’re a good candidate for such treatments and can inform the approach your fertility specialist might take.
In essence, the AMH blood test is a tool that empowers you with knowledge about your reproductive health, helping you make informed decisions.
It’s also really useful for fertility doctors prescribing IVF medication. It helps them work out what dose of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) to give you when going through fertility treatment (ovulation induction, IUI or IVF cycle or other fertility treatments).
High AMH indicates lots of little follicles and a higher egg number, so recommends a lower dose of drugs to stimulate enough follicles for treatment. Low AMH indicates not so many little follicles, so you may need a higher dose of drugs to stimulate enough of them for treatment.
Really high AMH measurements can indicate having polycystic ovaries (PCOS), which can lead to ovulation issues, meaning even though you have HEAPS of follicles, you’re not releasing them, so they can’t ever meet the sperm and get fertilised.
Really low AMH levels in your blood sample is sometimes indicating poor egg reserve or approaching menopause, but still doesn’t mean you can’t get pregnant naturally next month. That’s determined by all sorts of other things – most importantly age, but that’s a discussion for another post.
Low AMH can also give SOME indication of how quickly you need to get started – especially if you want more than one baby in the long run… but it is absolutely NOT a marker of fertility or ability to conceive – the only marker for that is a baby in your arms.
AMH is a useful test for doctors, in conjunction with a lot of other fertility tests that they do to help work out the best course of treatment for you.
How to Get an AMH Test
Getting an AMH test is straightforward and can be done at a fertility clinic or your doctor’s office. It involves a simple blood draw, and you’ll typically get the results within a week.
Start by consulting with your doctor or a fertility specialist. They’ll discuss your medical history and reproductive goals to determine if an AMH test is right for you.
If recommended, you’ll receive instructions on how to prepare for the test and what to expect during the process. It’s a quick and easy step towards understanding low ovarian reserve and planning your next steps.
Have you had an AMH test? Did it scare you and make you wonder if it was EVER going to be your turn? If you’re looking for help understanding your fertility and what all these tests mean, head to my eCourse Fertility 101 where you can learn all about how to troubleshoot your fertility, then work out what to do next.
You’ll find it here:
Let's chat soon!
x Lucy
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