The battle with your fertility is an all-consuming journey, and there's no shortage of tips, tricks, and quizzes to help you understand what's going on with your body. One test that you should definitely look for on your fertility journey is your anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) levels.
AMH is an important indicator of female fertility and can tell you a lot about your reproductive health. Read on to learn everything you need to know about her AMH levels and what they tell you about her overall fertility.
What is AMH?
Anti-Müllerian Hormone or AMH is a protein hormone found in both men and women. This hormone is produced in the reproductive tissue.
Shortly after conception, a baby begins to develop reproductive organs that match its genes. Men have higher levels of AMH, which prevents the development of the female sexual organs. In women, AMH levels start out low to allow the reproductive organs to develop.
When a woman enters puberty, the role of the AMH changes. At this point, the ovarian follicles begin to produce AMH. The more eggs are formed, the higher the AMH level will be.
In women, AMH blood levels can help your doctor estimate the number of follicles in the ovaries and the total egg count. Therefore, your AMH levels are a good indicator of this.Reserva Ovarielle.
What are AMH levels?
Testing for AMH blood levels is a reliable indicator of your ovarian reserve. While your AMH levels don't change significantly during your menstrual cycle, they do change as you age. In females, AMH levels rise during childhood and peak just before puberty. As a woman moves into her most fertile years, her AMH levels gradually decline along with her ovarian reserve.
As you enter puberty and your reproductive years, your egg count and AMH begin to drop. After the age of 25, you start to shed eggs at a higher rate. Again, at 30 and 35, the loss accelerates until you hit menopause and your egg count hits zero. When your egg count drops, your AMH levels drop as well, making this aimportant hormone to trackif you are trying to get pregnant.
AMH changes over time
It is important to monitor AMH levels over time, as they reflect the size of our ovarian reserve or the number of healthy eggs we need to fertilize. This is an accurate measure of ovarian function as only healthy and functional follicles are present.produce AMH.
Studies show thatAMH correlates wellthe number of follicles in the ovaries. Despite this, AMH levels vary greatly between women and age groups. Your AMH levels will change over time, although they remain fairly stable for most of your menstrual cycle.
In women ages 18 to 24 with normal AMH levels, this number isdoesn't change muchmonth to month, although it can fluctuate. Women with high AMH levels have been found to have wide swings in their levelsAMH Measurementsover time, while smaller variations were observed in women with low AMH levels. Because AMH levels are higher in younger women, this means that younger women may have greater fluctuations in their AMH levels than older women.
However, the most significant changes in AMH occur with age. Read on to learn more about how your AMH levels change with age and what that means for your fertility.
AMH levels by age
We already know that our egg reserves decrease with age. Consequently, research clearly shows that AMH levels steadily decline as women age. A study of women between the ages of 26 and 45 confirmed that AMH levels were highnegatively associated with age– and this is just one of the many studies that support this conclusion.
Normal AMH levels for healthy women are by ageto be appreciated:
| To alter | AMH levels |
| 17-20 | 4-9 ng/ml |
| 20-25 | 2-8ng/ml |
| 25-30 | 2-6 ng/ml |
| 30-35 | 1-5 ng/ml |
| 35-40 | 0.5-5 ng/ml |
| 40-45 | 0,4-2,4 ng/ml |
| 45-50 | 0,2–1,5 ng/ml |
| 51-60 | 0,2–1,5 ng/ml |
The role of AMH in fertility
AMH levels can help you determine the best time to try for a baby. Women's AMH levels not only vary by age, but also vary greatly between women. As a result, you may already have low AMH levels, and since your AMH steadily declines with age, you may want to start trying to conceive before your body clock starts ticking.
AMH and ovarian reserve
As we mentioned earlier, AMH levels are a fairly accurate reflection of your ovarian reserve, or the number of healthy eggs you have stored in your ovaries. We already know that the number of healthy eggs decreases significantly with age.after 35. So you can also reasonably expect your AMH to decline as you get older.
AMH and infertility
Your doctor may measure your AMH levels if you are having trouble conceiving naturally to determine if you may have reduced ovarian reserve or another condition that affects fertility. A normal AMH level for fertile women is 1 to 4 ng/ml. Levels below 1 ng/mL or above 4 ng/mL may indicate an underlying health condition, which we'll discuss in more detail later in this article.
AMH and miscarriages
As mentioned above, a low AMH level of less than 1 ng/ml may mean that you are suffering from infertility. Low AMH levels can also increase the risk of miscarriage if you are pregnant. One study found that women withAMH level of 0.4 ng/mL or lesshad an increased risk of miscarriage over time. In this study, the most significant increase in risk for pregnant women occurred between the sixth and seventh week of pregnancy.
Understanding AMH Tests
So how can you tell what your AMH level really is? The answer is simple: your doctor can measure your AMH with a simple blood test. Once you receive the results, they are interpreted to tell you if your AMH levels are high, low, or normal. But first, let's talk more about what the results of an AMH test really mean.
How is the AMH level tested?
First, let's talk about the AMH testing process. TOAMH blood testIt is a simple and low-risk procedure. It requires no special preparation (for example, fasting) and should take less than five minutes in a trained laboratory. The lab technician will prepare you for the blood test by identifying a vein, cleaning the area with alcohol, and using a tourniquet to temporarily increase blood flow to the area. As with any blood test, you may feel a slight sting when the needle is inserted. Otherwise, the risks are small, including bruising and fainting.
What is the AMH test used for?
In addition to determining your current egg count, AMH values can also be useddiagnose or predict multiple conditions:
- The reasons for early menopause
- The causes of amenorrhea
- help with diagnosisPolycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
- Monitor the health of women with certain types of ovarian cancer
- Predict the onset of menopause
Testing for AMH levels is very common when working with a fertility specialist. If your levels are determined to be lower than appropriate for your age group, you are considered to have reduced ovarian reserve. Your doctor may recommend egg freezing if you are not ready to conceive or other fertility treatments if you are currently trying to conceive.
Knowing your AMH levels can help you understand your chances of successfully using assisted reproductive technology (ART) to conceive. For example, if you have normal values for your age, there is a greater chance that a greater number of eggs will be collected for freezing or IVF. Understanding your AMH levels is only one piece of the puzzle, but it gives you important information to help you create your fertility plan.
Remember that your AMH levels give you an idea of what your current ovarian reserve is like. It cannot be used to indicate what it will look like in the future or how quickly the number of eggs available will change. However, it is a good starting point for talking to your doctor about your fertility plans.
Low AMH: What It Means
Your AMH levels are a representation of your ovarian reserve. Because AMH levels naturally decline with age, your doctor should interpret your results by comparing them to the average values for your age group.
If your AMH levels are lower than what your doctor would expect for your age, it may mean that you have fewer eggs than other women in your age group. This condition, known as decreased ovarian reserve, can create infertility challenges.
AMH High: What It Means
You may think that high AMH is a good thing. Doesn't that mean you have more eggs in your ovarian reserve? If your AMH levels are higher than expected for your age group, that may be true: High AMH levels may mean you have more time to get pregnant because your ovarian reserve is greater. But in some cases, dramatically high AMH levels can indicate a condition called polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), which causes many follicles to grow on the ovaries.
Despite high AMH levelsWomen with PCOS often struggle with infertility. This is because mature follicles capable of releasing an egg produce AMH. Women with PCOS have more mature follicles than other women. However, since not all of these follicles are able to release an egg, the extra ones often develop into ovarian cysts. Although a woman with PCOS may have higher AMH levels, these levels do not necessarily mean that she has higher ovarian reserve.
AMH FAQ
We've talked a lot about AMH, including how AMH levels are measured, what high and low levels mean, and how AMH affects fertility. However, you may still have questions about AMH and what it means for your journey to conception. Here we answer your frequently asked questions about AMH.
Can I get pregnant with low AMH?
You can get pregnant with AMH, but you may need help from ART to do it. It is possible to get pregnant naturally with low AMH, but less likely. People with low AMH levels are more likely to need fertility treatments to get pregnant, and their AMH levels can be used as an indicator of their chances of success with treatments like IVF.
If you already have fewer eggs to collect for treatments, your chances of using those eggs successfully are lower than if you had a large number of eggs. That being said, every woman is different. It is still possible for some women with low AMH levels to conceive without intervention.
How can you increase your AMH level?
At this time, there is no proven way to increase your AMH levels. Some studies suggest that consumingmore vitamin D and DHEA, whether through food or supplements, can help you increase your AMH. However, there is no evidence that increasing your AMH levels will actually help you conceive. There is no way to completely stop the aging of the eggs (other than freezing them), although you canSlow down the process by leading a healthy lifestyle. However, once the eggs are gone, there is no way to get them back. Therefore, increasing your AMH levels will not necessarily increase your ovarian reserve or increase your chances of conceiving.
What are the causes of low AMH?
Declining ovarian reserve is more common with age, but may occur sooner than expected in some women. Some reasons why a woman in her 20s or 30s may start to shed eggs at a higher rate are:
- Genetic.Your genes may play a role in why you lose eggs faster than the general population.
- Diseases.Chronic conditions such as endometriosis and some autoimmune diseases can lead to decreased ovarian reserve.
- Surgery on the ovaries.Surgery on the ovaries for certain reproductive health conditions can occasionally cause scarring or damage, resulting in decreased ovarian reserve.
Should you get an AMH test?
You will likely have an AMH test if you decide to see a fertility specialist for help with your pregnancy. Women under the age of 35 who have been trying to conceive naturally for a year or women over the age of 35 who have been trying for six months should see a fertility specialist if they are unsuccessful.
Your doctor may also want to test your AMH if you have symptoms ofperimenopauseor menopause. AMH levels can be used to predict when you are approaching or entering menopause, indicating that you are no longer fertile.
FAQs
What level of AMH is good for fertility? ›
A typical AMH level for a fertile woman is 1.0–4.0 ng/ml; under 1.0 ng/ml is considered low and indicative of a diminished ovarian reserve.
What is a good AMH test result? ›Providers measure AMH levels in nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL). Experts debate how to define typical AMH levels, but these are general ranges: Average: Between 1.0 ng/mL to 3.0 ng/mL. Low: Under 1.0 ng/mL.
What AMH level means no eggs? ›The patients with AMH between 1 and 3 ng/ml are normal responders obtaining 10-15 eggs during the ovarian stimulation. The ones with AMH below 1 ng/ml are poor responders (with less than 3 eggs per stimulation) and those with AMH over 3 ng/ml are characterised by a high response to the treatment (even over 15 eggs).
What is a good AMH level for age 36? ›The median AMH values were 4.23 ng/mL in 20–25 years' age group, 3.48 ng/mL in women aged 26–30 years, 2.43 ng/mL in women aged 31–35 years, 1.28 ng/mL in women aged 36–40 years and0. 52 ng/mL in 40–44 years' age group.
What is a good AMH for age 39? ›A 'normal' AMH level is considered to be 1.0 ng/mL to 3.0 ng/mL. Low AMH is considered to be an AMH below 0.9 ng/ml and anything below 0.16 ng/ml is said to be an 'undetectably low' AMH level.
Do AMH levels indicate egg quality? ›An AMH test can tell you the size of your ovarian reserve, but it can't tell you about the health of your eggs or predict whether you'll be able to get pregnant. Predict how well you may respond to fertility medicine.
Does low AMH mean poor egg quality? ›Does having a low AMH mean you have poor egg quality? Important point here: low AMH does not mean that you have bad quality eggs. Age is the important factor when it comes to egg quality. The younger you are when you freeze your eggs, the higher chance that they will lead to healthy embryos and a baby.
Do you ovulate every month with low AMH? ›I HAVE LOW AMH. DOES IT MEAN I AM INFERTILE? No. As long as you have regular periods and you will ovulate one egg per month.
Does stress affect AMH? ›When a stimulus is perceived as stressful, the HPA axis and SAM pathway may be activated [1]. As a result, growing follicles are lost due to the oxidative damage of ovarian follicle cells, which leads to a decrease of AMH level.
Does vitamin D increase AMH? ›
Vitamin D was shown to have a direct effect on AMH production, and women with higher vitamin D concentrations maintained their ovarian reserve for longer. In another study, lower serum 25(OH)D levels have been accompanied by higher serum FSH levels.
At what AMH level does menopause start? ›AMH strongly predicted time to menopause; age further improved predictions. Among women with a baseline AMH level below 0.20 ng/ml, the median time to menopause was 5.99 yr [95% confidence interval (CI), 4.20–6.33] in the 45- to 48-yr age group and 9.94 yr (95% CI, 3.31–12.73) in the 35- to 39-yr age group.
At what AMH level indicates menopause? ›Among women with AMH levels less than 0.20 ng/ml, the predicted median time to menopause was approximately 6 yr on average for ages 45–48 yr, but considerably longer (approximately 10 yr) for women ages 35–39 yr.
What AMH is too low for pregnancy? ›AMH is an important fertility test to tell us about a woman's ovarian reserve as it stands today. Higher AMH values (greater than 1 ng/mL) usually signify that a woman has a normal ovarian reserve. Lower numbers (less than 1 ng/mL) may indicate a woman with diminished ovarian reserve (DOR).
What AMH level is too low for IVF? ›AMH was considered to be low with levels 1 ng/ml and below. Levels below 0.5 ng/ml were considered extremely low level. Eighty-four women decided not to be enrolled in the IVF/ICSI program after explaining the poor prognosis in their individual cases.
Can AMH levels change month to month? ›with a very small sample size (n = 20), serum AMH levels were shown to fluctuate throughout the menstrual cycle 23 . Women with low AMH levels had small fluctuations, while women with high AMH levels exhibited relatively high fluctuations throughout the menstrual cycle.
Does AMH really matter? ›AMH is very often considered to be a 'fertility test', when in reality, it is a 'screening test'. It is a useful indicator of the number of eggs remaining, rather than the quality of those eggs. A low AMH result does not mean that the person is infertile.
Can you improve your AMH level? ›Research has proved that acupressure or acupuncture can help boost AMH levels by improving egg quality and embryo quality. It also helps in balancing hormones, endometrium lining, male infertility, managing PCOS symptoms, reducing endometriosis and also increases IVF success chances.
What AMH level is considered PCOS? ›Background. Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) affects up to one-fifth of women of reproductive age and causes anovulatory subfertility. Some studies have recommended that an anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) level greater than 3.8–5 ng/mL can be used for diagnosing PCOS.
Can an AMH reading be wrong? ›Concerns About the AMH Test
Therefore, if a relatively healthy ovarian population is assessed for ovarian deficiency, it may result in a false number of women testing positive for diminished ovarian reserve.
What is the best indicator of egg quality? ›
Female Egg Quality and Quantity
When eggs are higher quality, the chances of it implanting inside the uterus and developing into an embryo are much higher. As technology stands today, the best indicators of egg quality are a woman's age, hormone testing, and actually “counting the eggs” using transvaginal ultrasound.
Although both FSH and AMH are widely use to assess the ovarian reserve in women undergoing evaluation for infertility, AMH appears to be superior to FSH among all age groups. This is particularly important for patients with discordant AMH and FSH where reassuring AMH is a better clinical predictor of cycle success.
Can I conceive naturally with low AMH? ›You can get pregnant naturally if you're having low levels of AMH as it fluctuates every month. However, it is possible for you to get pregnant naturally with your eggs or with donor eggs if you have a low AMH level. Your low AMH level will not decide your fertility and there are other ways to improve your fertility.
At what point in cycle is AMH the highest? ›The highest value was 3.9 +/- 1.3 ng/ml at day -12 and the lowest value was 3.4 +/- 1.1 ng/ml at day 14, and the difference was not significant. Conclusion: In this study, we demonstrated that serum AMH levels do not change significantly throughout the menstrual cycle.
What happens to all your eggs if you don't ovulate? ›Each cycle, maybe 15–20 follicles are activated, but when they don't mature, they get “reabsorbed” (AKA, they die). This process is called “atresia.” And then—to make matters even worse—doctors estimate that we lose up to a thousand additional follicles each month, thanks to natural cell death.
Do you still ovulate with a low egg count? ›It is still completely possible to have a low egg count and get pregnant, even without any form of reproductive assistance. If you are having trouble conceiving and are wondering why getting pregnant is so difficult, consider taking a fertility testing kit and/or consult a fertility treatment specialist.
Does lifestyle affect AMH levels? ›Our results suggest that AMH levels are associated with lifestyle factors among infertile Japanese women and that there is a need to educate infertile women on the impact of their lifestyle choices.
How long does vitamin D take to increase AMH? ›After 2 months of vitamin D supplementation, our results showed statistically significant increases in AFC and AMH levels and a statistically significant decrease in FSH level after supplementation.
Can taking too much vitamin D cause infertility? ›Investigations have also shown that pregnant women with higher levels of Vitamin D had higher live birth rates than those with lower levels. So whilst high levels of Vitamin D may not be increasing fertility, the evidence seems to suggest that deficiencies can be detrimental to fertility and healthy pregnancies.
How much vitamin D should I take for fertility? ›That said, studies show and many doctors recommend that women who are trying to get pregnant, are pregnant, or are lactating should consume higher levels of vitamin D (between 50-100 mcg daily).
Can you get pregnant 1.2 AMH? ›
AMH level does not indicate or decide whether a woman will be able to conceive or not. As many women with low AMH didn't lose hope and kept trying for natural pregnancy. So don't lose hopes. We only want 1 healthy egg for pregnancy.
What AMH level is too low? ›Low AMH is considered to be an AMH below 0.9 ng/ml and anything below 0.16 ng/ml is said to be an 'undetectably low' AMH level. Varying AMH levels can indicate different fertility issues in women.
How many eggs can you get with low AMH? ›You will have the same pregnancy rates as a woman with high AMH in the same age group. The reason is that regardless of the AMH level, a woman's ovary will mature and ovulate one egg per month. The overall number of eggs in the ovary will not affect this.
Do you still ovulate with low AMH? ›If you have low AMH and your cycle is regular, which is considered between 21 and 35 days long, you are likely going through ovulation. And if you're ovulating, it's possible to get pregnant.
What is the minimum AMH to get pregnant? ›If you're having AMH levels between 1.0-4.0 ng/ml, it is considered as a good or normal AMH level to get pregnant. AMH levels below 1.0ng/ml result in low egg count and are an indication of diminishing ovarian reserve.
What is normal AMH level for 35 year old? ›AMH test results
As a general guideline, the following levels (in nanograms per milliliter) represent the lower limit of serum AMH values by age: 45 years old: 0.5 ng/mL. 40 years old: 1 ng/mL. 35 years old: 1.5 ng/ mL.
When a stimulus is perceived as stressful, the HPA axis and SAM pathway may be activated [1]. As a result, growing follicles are lost due to the oxidative damage of ovarian follicle cells, which leads to a decrease of AMH level.
Does low AMH mean infertility? ›Low AMH is not a cause of infertility, but it is an indication of a decreased egg reserve. When there are fewer developing eggs in the ovaries, the chance of a mature and healthy egg being released and fertilised decreases.
Does low AMH mean poor quality? ›Does having a low AMH mean you have poor egg quality? Important point here: low AMH does not mean that you have bad quality eggs. Age is the important factor when it comes to egg quality. The younger you are when you freeze your eggs, the higher chance that they will lead to healthy embryos and a baby.
Does AMH indicate egg quality? ›AMH is one of those hormones. The level of AMH in a woman's blood helps doctors estimate the number of follicles in her ovaries; the more follicles a woman has, the more eggs she can release, and the better her chances of pregnancy.
Does high AMH mean no ovulation? ›
In healthy females of childbearing age, higher levels of AMH mean that the ovaries have a larger supply of eggs. As females age, the number of eggs decreases, which causes AMH levels to decrease. At menopause, no eggs are left, and AMH levels drop to zero.
Does high AMH mean not ovulating? ›High levels of AMH can stop an egg from being released from the ovary even if it's ready. That means ovulation does not happen.