Does AMH define your ability to become a mother or it is just amongst many fertility tests ?

While getting her fertility check-ups done, one of our community members Myra (29) from Gurugram, got to know that her AMH level was low. This particular thing made her more tensed and anxious concerning her ability to become a mother. To add more fuel to her stress, Myra got conflicting opinions from several doctors, making her restless. Well! Let’s clear all the confusion and misconception around AMH. To start with, Is AMH is a fertility test? No it is not! This is amongst one of those pieces of data which will help your doctor in determining your fertility health.

What is AMH?

Anti-müllerian hormone test i.e. AMH test measures the level of anti-müllerian hormone in the blood, which is made in the reproductive tissues of both male and female.   AMH test can help in providing the information about fertility in women. However this test can also be used to diagnose menstrual disorders , other health issues in women like ovarian cancer or to predict the start of menopause. AMH test is generally used to check a women’s ability to produce eggs, which can be further fertilized for pregnancy. This test helps in showing the number of potential eggs left in the woman. AMH helps in diagnosing PCOS as well, which is a hormonal disorder considered as one of the common cause of female infertility.

Who Needs An AMH Test And How Is It Done?

If you are a woman facing difficulties in getting pregnant, then you might need to consider going for an AMH test. This test helps in predicting a woman’s response to the IVF treatment. The high levels of AMH means that you have more eggs available and will respond positively to the treatment; whereas low levels of AMH means you have fewer eggs available and might face difficulty in responding to the treatment.

AMH test is done by simply collecting a blood sample from the vein of your arm. This is a simple and painless process with convenient accessibility as the blood sample can be collected from home as well. There is no specific arrangement or preparations required for the test. AMH test can be conducted anytime during the menstrual cycle as eggs remain relatively stable throughout the cycle.

This test usually costs between Rs 1000- 2000 in north India and there might be minor variations in other parts of the country.

What Can Be Determined Through AMH Test & When Is It advised?

AMH test helps in determining the number of potential eggs in women, which can help her in considering the chances of getting pregnant. This test just tells the number of eggs not the quality of eggs, which is much more important factor for consideration while getting pregnant. The higher the levels of AMH, the better are the chances of conceiving. A low level might raise some trouble in conceiving. However, an AMH test cannot tell us about the rate at which your egg count is decreasing or other issues which might be making it harder to conceive.

Must Read: Donor Egg IVF! !An Option To Increase IVF Success Chance Or Not

Average AMH levels by age

A study conducted through the Center For Fertility Research & Education (CFRE) stated that AMH level decreases with the increasing age.

AGE                                                    MEDIAN AMH LEVELS

Under 30                                          2.91

30-34                                                2.42

35-37                                                2.03

38-40                                                1.50

41-42                                                0.92

Over 42                                            0.59

Risk Factors Contributing To Low Level Of AMH

Every woman has a natural supply of eggs in their ovaries, whose quality and quantity decreases as they grow old. Some of the factors, other than age contributing to low level of AMH include:

• Stress
• Unhealthy eating
• Hormonal imbalance
• Illness or injury
• Unhealthy lifestyle habits
• Autoimmune disorders
• Genetic factors

Can You Get Pregnant With Low AMH?

 No, just a simple AMH test is not enough to decide on the fertility of a woman, it simply suggests that she might have less time as compared to others, in terms of trying to conceive. AMH levels may vary from month to month and a lower level cannot determine with absolute certainty that you can’t get pregnant. Many women with low AMH get pregnant naturally because it is the quality of eggs that matter not the quantity.

Is There A Way To Improve The Quality Of Egg Or AMH Level?

There is no reliable science to back up any claim on improving the levels of AMH or quality of eggs. However, there are certain holistic methods to preserve the health of the potential ones there in the ovarian reserve.

Should You Go for Donor Egg IVFs In Case Of Low AMH?

Not necessarily. Women with poor AMH levels are generally advised to go for an egg donor IVF but that don’t mean she cannot conceive with her own eggs. The older women have a lower percentage of genetically healthy eggs, they have to freeze more eggs than the younger one, which usually helps them in figuring out the number of cycles she might need to plan for. If a lady has little but good quality of eggs, then her consideration for natural cycle becomes prominent and there is no need for egg donor.

In case of any concern, you can get in touch with us by joining our community Fertility Dost and get proper counseling from experts. You can also book a consultation through our Fertility Coach Program and get personalized assistance for your queries.