Anti-Mullerian Hormone (AMH) Test
An AMH test is a simple blood test that measures the level of Anti-Mullerian Hormone (AMH) in a woman’s blood and provides a good indication of ovarian reserve.
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What is AMH?
Anti- Mullerian Hormone (AMH) is a hormone secreted by cells surrounding the developing eggs. The more eggs you have, the more of these cells you have and hence the higher your AMH result. The level of AMH in a woman’s blood is therefore a good indicator of the number of viable eggs that are at rest in a woman’s ovaries.
What is the AMH test?
The AMH test is taken as a simple blood test and provides some insight into the remaining quantity of eggs and number of fertile years a woman may have, but it cannot tell us much about the quality of those eggs. It can also help a fertility specialist determine whether a woman is a good candidate to undergo certain fertility treatments and how successful those treatments may be.
Who is it useful for?
An AMH test may be useful for:
- Women who have been trying to conceive for over six months
- Women considering IVF or other fertility treatments
- Women who have had chemotherapy or ovarian/endometrial surgery
- Women who would like to conceive in the future and are curious about their ovarian reserve
Interpreting the results
What if I have a low AMH?
AMH levels can vary widely and the results should be compared with other women of the same age. A low AMH should not necessarily be considered a stand-alone concern, and it is not associated with a reduced monthly chance of getting pregnant. It may however indicate the need for more proactive action such as beginning a family sooner or undertaking elective egg freezing.
It is important to remember that women that have low ovarian reserve and women that have high ovarian reserve fall pregnant naturally at exactly the same rate. The reason for this is that both groups ovulate one egg per month and AMH is not an indicator of egg quality. However, AMH is a useful tool to predict response with IVF, in terms of likely egg number that will be obtained in an IVF cycle. It can also give advanced warning that ovarian reserve is declining, prompting women to explore their reproductive options sooner.
Your GP can request an AMH test and if you would like to discuss the results you can book an appointment with one of our fertility specialists. Please call 1800 111 483 or request an appointment online.