If you’ve ever had your fertility tested, you may have heard of the term “AMH” before but maybe you aren’t quite sure what it stands for or why it matters. AMH stands for anti-Müllerian hormone, and it’s a substance produced by cells in the ovaries and is present in all females from birth. AMH levels can give your doctor some insight into your fertility—but what do high or low AMH levels mean, and what is considered “normal?” Read on to learn more about AMH levels, what they mean, and how they can impact your fertility journey
What is AMH?
As we mentioned before, AMH is short for anti-Müllerian hormone. This hormone is produced by tiny cells surrounding the eggs in the ovaries, and it’s present in both women and men (although men have much lower levels of AMH). Click to learn more about men’s health.
One important thing to note is that while AMH is often used as a marker of fertility, it’s not actually a measure of ovarian reserve. Why? Because even if you have a higher level of AMH, that doesn’t necessarily mean that your eggs are healthy—it just means that there are more of them
How the Test is Performed
The AMH blood test is usually done in conjunction with other fertility tests, such as an FSH test and an AFC. The AMH blood test is a simple blood test that can be performed at home or your doctor’s office or at a fertility clinic. A small sample of blood will be taken from a vein in your arm, and the level of AMH will be measured.
How to Prepare for the Test
Ordering one of our at-home tests from Welzo is easy. You do not need to do anything special to prepare for the AMH blood test.
- Pick you test
- Take your test
- Results within 48 hours.
What are Normal AMH Levels?
There is a wide range of what is considered a “normal” level of AMH. Age, weight, ethnicity, smoking status, and other factors can all affect AMH levels. In general, though, most doctors consider an AMH level of 1.0-4.0 ng/mL to be within the normal range for women of childbearing age who are not using fertility treatments
What Do High/Low Results Mean?
So what do high or low AMH levels mean? Well, as with most things in medicine, it’s not quite so simple. In general, though, higher levels indicate a larger number of follicles (i.e., potential eggs), while lower levels may indicate fewer follicles
However, it’s important to keep in mind that there are many other factors that affect fertility besides the number of follicles present—so even if your AMH levels are on the low end, you may still be able to get pregnant naturally. And conversely, having high AMH levels doesn’t guarantee that you’ll get pregnant easily—it all depends on the quality of your eggs
Low AMH Levels
If your AMH levels are on the lower end of the spectrum, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you won’t be able to get pregnant without fertility treatments; however, it does increase your chances of having difficulty conceiving without medical help. Women with low AMH levels may respond less well to fertility treatments such as in-vitro fertilization (IVF). Having a low concentration of AMH could also indicate that you are at a higher risk for experiencing menopause at an earlier age than average
High AMH Levels
High AMH levels are generally considered to be anything above 4 ng/mL although some sources say that anything above 10 ng/mL is considered high. Regardless of where the cut-off is set, having higher than normal AMH levels generally indicates that you have a higher reserve of eggs than average and that you are likely to respond well to fertility treatments. However, it is important to remember that a high AMH level does not guarantee a successful pregnancy – there are many other factors involved in conception
What Else Could My Result Mean?
There are several other things that could affect your test results other than just your egg reserve. These include
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) – Women with PCOS often have high testosterone levels which can lead to higher than normal AMH levels even if they have a low egg reserve
Ovarian tumours – Both benign and malignant ovarian tumours can lead to higher than normal AMH levels due to increased production of the hormone by the tumour cells. If you have been diagnosed with an ovarian tumour, it is important to speak with your doctor about how this may affect your test results before making any decisions about fertility treatment options
Conclusion
In summary, AMH stands for anti-Müllerian hormone, and it’s produced by the cells that surround developing eggs in the ovaries. Your AMH level is a good indicator of your ovarian reserve—that is, the number of eggs you have left. The normal range for AMH levels varies depending on which lab is doing the testing, but in general, it falls somewhere between 0.5 and 4 ng/mL. If your AMH levels are on the lower end of the normal range (or below it), it may mean that you have a low ovarian reserve; if they’re on the higher end (or above it), it may mean that you have PCOS. Either way, be sure to talk to your doctor if you’re concerned about your results. Thanks for reading!
