What Is The AMH Test?
The AMH test measures the level of Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) in the blood. In women, this hormone is produced by ovarian follicles and serves as a marker of ovarian reserve, essentially estimating how many eggs remain in the ovaries. The AMH test is a reliable and useful tool for estimating egg quantity and ovarian reserve. It guides medical decisions around fertility treatments and timing, but does not predict fertility success or egg quality on its own. Always discuss results with a specialist to understand what they mean for your unique situation.
Why It’s Done
- Fertility evaluation: Offers a snapshot of ovarian reserve and helps predict how ovaries may respond to fertility treatments or IVF medication.
- Ovarian mass assessment: Can assist in diagnosing certain tumours (e.g., granulosa cell tumours) and monitoring their treatment or recurrence.
What It Indicates
- High AMH levels indicate more remaining eggs – a larger ovarian reserve.
- Low AMH levels suggest fewer remaining eggs – a diminished reserve.
- Average range: 1.0–3.0 ng/mL
- Low: Under 1.0 ng/mL
- Very low: Below ~0.4 ng/mL
What It Doesn’t Tell You
- Fertility potential: It provides no direct prediction of when you’ll conceive, or if you’re fertile or infertile
- Egg quality: AMH reflects quantity, not the health or viability of eggs.
- Menopause timing: It’s not a reliable predictor of when menopause might occur.
Other factors like age, sperm health, ovulation patterns, and fallopian tube conditions also play essential roles in fertility.
Testing Details
- Timing: Can be done any day of the menstrual cycle.
- Preparation: No special prep is needed.
- Procedure: Simple blood draw; results typically take a few days
How Results Guide Care
Results help your provider:
- Identify if ovarian reserve is lower than expected for your age.
- Tailor fertility treatment plans, such as IVF stimulation protocols.
- Decide if fertility preservation (e.g., egg freezing) should be considered earlier.
However, results must be interpreted alongside other assessments and personal factors. AMH is one piece of a broader fertility evaluation.
Read more about the AMH test in this article by the Cleveland Clinic.
