Antimullerian hormone (AMH) is a hormone produced by ovarian follicles. The amount of AMH directly reflects level of fertility in women. If AMH levels are too low, women may have trouble conceiving due to low oocyte production. Fertility clinics and specialists often test AMH levels when determining the best possible treatment for infertility. Extremely high levels of AMH may denote PCOD or polycystic ovarian disease.
What is the Optimal Antimullerian Hormone Level?
Antimullerian test results are reported as pmol/L or ng/mL. The following chart covers all possible ranges of AMH and how that range may affect fertility.
|Optimal||28.6 to 48.5||4.0 to 6.8|
|Satisfactory||15.7 to 28.6||2.2 to 4.0|
|Reduced||2.2 to 15.7||0.3 to 2.2|
|Undetectable||0.0 to 2.2||0.0 to 0.3|
|Above Normal||> 48.5||> 6.|
When Can Antimullerian Hormone Testing be Performed?
Antimullerian hormone testing can be completed at any time. Menstrual cycle does not affect AMH so doctors do not need to plan testing for a specific day in the cycle.
Is AMH Testing More Accurate than FSH Testing?
FSH or follicle-stimulating hormone is the hormone that stimulates the follicle to release the matured egg. Before AMH testing was available, FSH testing on day 3 of the menstrual cycle was the medical standard, but many fertility specialists have replaced or complimented FSH testing with AMH testing. It is believed that AMH testing give a more accurate representative of current and future fertility as AMH is responsible for the production of oocytes. If oocytes are not produced, they do not mature and cannot be released even if FSH levels are optimal.
FSH levels fluctuate throughout a single menstrual cycle and can only be tested at certain times. AMH, on the other hand, is a steady hormone that does not fluctuate giving the fertility specialist the opportunity to test fertility at any time during the menstrual cycle with more reliable results.
Can I Request AMH Testing?
In many cases women request AMH testing to determine current and future fertility. If AMH levels are optimal or satisfactory, a woman can feel safe putting off childbearing for at least another year; though yearly testing is suggested. However, if a woman is thinking about waiting to have children and AMH levels are below normal, she may have pause about waiting another year. Further tests can be performed to give women a complete picture of fertility, though no testing can definitively predict conception difficulty or outcome.