Anti Mullerian Hormone Level: Your AMH Test Explained
An Anti-Mullerian Hormone Level Test (AMH) is a blood test used by OBGYNs and fertility specialists to help determine the number of eggs in a patient’s ovaries (ovarian reserve). The test is not a predictor of fertility, rather it is used to determine how many eggs your physician may be able to retrieve for IVF or egg freezing. A low ovarian reserve is not a determiner of whether you will be able to get pregnant naturally or through fertility treatment, but the knowledge helps you to better understand your overall health and can empower you and your doctor to make informed treatment decisions.
How Does an AMH Test Work
Eggs develop from small follicles in the ovaries. Anti-Mullerian Hormone is also produced in those same follicles. This test measures the AMH levels to determine how many of those small follicles there are, which is a measure of how roughly how many eggs are left in a woman’s reserves that day. Normal AMH level indicates a normal egg count, low AMH level indicates a low egg count.
AMH Test Results
Different practitioners may interpret your AMH slightly differently, but here’s an example of how they may be read:
- High AMH levels: More than 3 ng/ML
- Normal AMH level: Greater than 0.7 ng/mL
- Low AMH level: Less than 0.7 ng/mL
Normal means that your egg count is within the typical range for your age. Low means that your count is lower than would be considered typical. And high means that you have an abnormally high ovarian reserve. While high may seem like the most desirable test result, that level of AMH can sometimes be an indicator of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), which is a condition that can contribute to fertility diagnoses (if PCOS is also causing an irregular menstrual cycle).
What Do My AMH Test Results Mean
It’s important to know that an AMH test is not a fertility test - it is a marker that helps indicate your current ovarian reserve, and how many eggs you might be able to retrieve in a given IVF or egg freezing cycle. In order to really understand your AMH results in context, they should be coupled with a transvaginal ultrasound to determine your antral follicle count, as well as a consultation with a fertility specialist who can interpret your results as well as your overall health history and family-building goals.
Your ability to become pregnant naturally or through IVF is not determined by just one factor like egg count, and you can still get pregnant with a low ovarian reserve (since only one egg is ovulated each month, anyway!).
Women are born with all the eggs they will have in their life, typically around 2 million. As they age their egg count declines, usually dropping off more rapidly in their mid to late 30s. Because egg count changes over a lifetime, the test can only paint a picture of your ovarian reserve during the time that you take it. If you take another a year later, the results could be different.
The purpose of an AMH test is to empower you with a deeper context for your fertility and provide reasonable expectations for you and your doctor about how many eggs you might get from an egg retrieval.
Fertility Treatment After an AMH Test
An AMH test is a helpful baseline for almost any fertility treatment as well as simply providing you with a broader understanding of your own health whether you want to try and conceive naturally or are ready to work with a fertility specialist.
- In Vitro Fertilization (IVF)
- Determining your egg count is an essential first step during the IVF process. The results will help you understand how many eggs you can reasonably expect from an egg retrieval. If your egg count is on the extreme low end or undetectable, that information may also help you to take the next step toward using donor eggs if IVF does not work with your own eggs.
- Intrauterine Insemination (IUI)
- The test can help your doctor to determine if you’re a candidate for the minimally invasive procedure which involves inserting the sperm directly into your uterus during ovulation. If your egg count is normal your doctor may suggest this as a first-line option before IVF.
- Egg Freezing
- Your doctor may advise you on whether egg freezing is a good option for you based on your egg count. Even if your ovarian reserve is in the low range, it is still possible to freeze your eggs. An AMH test will help give you a realistic expectation of how many eggs you’ll be able to retrieve.
Important Final Notes on AMH Testing
It’s important to remember that egg count is not the only factor that determines your fertility. Egg quality, age, and overall health all contribute to your ability to conceive. An AMH test doesn’t measure egg quality and there is currently no test that does so.
- Even if your test shows a low egg count, that does not mean that you won’t get pregnant either on your own or through IVF.
- An AMH test is only for female fertility. If you are trying to conceive with a partner, your doctor will typically recommend that the male partner’s sperm count also be tested as it is not just the egg that can contribute to fertility issues.
- When interpreting your test results, defer to your doctor to fully understand the scope of what they mean. The human body doesn’t exist within a perfect spectrum of levels and your doctor will have deeper insight to offer beyond just high, normal, or low.
At Spring, we offer free AMH tests and info sessions at many of our clinics to help you take the first step toward understanding your ovarian reserve and fertility options!
Check out our Events page to RSVP for the next one near you.