What Do Anti-Mullerian Hormone (AMH) Levels Indicate in Women?

If you’re trying to conceive, you may have come across a range of fertility-related terms that can seem confusing, such as LH, AMH, and others.

Among them, Anti-Mullerian Hormone (AMH) is one of the most significant markers for understanding a woman’s reproductive potential. If you're over 25 or facing challenges with conception, checking your anti mullerian hormone levels can provide valuable insight into your fertility status.

Unlike other reproductive hormones that fluctuate throughout your menstrual cycle, anti mullerian hormone levels remain relatively stable, making the AMH test a dependable indicator of your ovarian reserve. But there's more—these levels can also reflect broader reproductive and endocrine health conditions.

In this guide, we’ll explore what anti mullerian hormone levels reveal, how they are measured, and what the different ranges can indicate for your reproductive health.

What is the Anti-Mullerian Hormone (AMH) Test?

Anti-Mullerian Hormone (AMH) plays a vital role in sex differentiation during fetal development. In adult women, it is produced by the granulosa cells of ovarian follicles. The number of these follicles directly correlates with your anti-mullerian hormone levels—something that the AMH test is designed to measure.

With just a simple blood test, doctors can assess anti mullerian hormone levels and your ovarian reserve, or the number of eggs remaining in your ovaries. This makes the AMH test a valuable diagnostic tool, particularly for those considering fertility treatments or planning ahead for future family goals.

Why is the Anti-Mullerian Hormone Test Prescribed?

The AMH test is usually ordered alongside other tests when evaluating female infertility. Some common reasons for prescribing the test include:

• Assesing Number of Eggs: By examining the anti mullerian hormone levels, a doctor can assess the number of eggs remaining in the ovaries. The primary purpose of AMH testing is to evaluate ovarian reserve, which refers to the remaining supply of eggs in the ovaries—a reserve that naturally declines both in number and quality with age. 

• Level of AMH: AMH is produced by small, developing follicles that are still in the early stages and not yet ready for ovulation. Consequently, anti mullerian hormone levels in the blood offer a snapshot of how many of these early-stage follicles are present. This information is also useful in predicting how your ovaries might respond to fertility treatments.

• To evaluate how well your body responds: Typically, your ovaries mature a single egg each month for potential fertilisation. But if you’re undergoing in vitro fertilisation (IVF), your doctor will prescribe fertility medications to stimulate your ovaries to develop multiple eggs simultaneously. These eggs are then retrieved and combined with sperm in a laboratory to create embryos. The embryos can then be frozen for future use or transferred directly into the uterus to initiate pregnancy.

Additionally, knowing the AMH test price will help to know if it gives value

Understanding Anti-Mullerian Hormone Test Levels

Anti-Mullerian Hormone Test Levels change with age. In women, these levels begin to increase during adolescence and usually peak around age 25, then gradually decline. It’s important to note that low AMH levels don’t automatically mean conception is impossible, just as high levels may sometimes indicate conditions like PCOS. 

An AMH test alone doesn’t provide a complete assessment of fertility. This is why at-home AMH tests can sometimes be confusing and may even give women a misleading impression of their reproductive health. Here’s how the AMH test results are interpreted:

- High (Often PCOS): Over 4.0 ng/ml

- Normal: 1.5-4.0 ng/ml

- Low Normal Range: 1.0-1.5 ng/ml

- Low: 0.5-1.0 ng/ml

- Very Low: 0.5-1.0 ng/ml

Regarding optimal AMH levels for different ages, they naturally decrease as you get older, so lower ovarian reserve in your 30s, 40s, and 50s is normal.

To give a general idea, here are typical lower-end estimates by age:

- At 25 years: around 3.0 ng/mL

- At 30 years: approximately 2.5 ng/mL

- At 35 years: about 1.5 ng/mL

- At 40 years: close to 1 ng/mL

- At 45 years: around 0.5 ng/mL

AMH Test Beyond Fertility

Beyond its role in fertility, the AMH test can help explain other health issues:

• Cancer treatments: Before starting chemotherapy or radiation, many women have their AMH levels checked. This aids in predicting how treatment might impact ovarian function and helps in making decisions about fertility preservation.

• Ovarian surgery: After procedures such as ovarian cyst removal, AMH testing can help assess how the surgery has affected ovarian reserve.

Conclusion

If you’ve had your AMH levels tested, it’s best to review the results with a fertility or reproductive endocrinology specialist. The AMH test price is generally affordable and covers all relevant aspects.