All You Need to Know About the AMH Test

What is the AMH test?

Anti-Müllerian Hormone test or AMH test measures the levels of AMH in the blood. The test helps a doctor learn about the number of potential egg cells that a female has left.

Importance of AMH Test

AMH blood test is prescribed by doctors to check the ability of women to produce eggs for pregnancy. In the childbearing years, a woman’s ovaries produce thousands of egg cells that are also known as oocytes or ova. These cells are then moved to the fallopian tubes where fertilisation by a sperm happens. As age increases, the number of egg cells declines.

The test reveals AMH levels that show the possible count of potential egg cells which are also known as the ovarian reserve. The higher the reserve, the better the chances of getting pregnant.

Besides, the AMH test is also ordered to:
• Foresee the start of menopause, which is a time when menstrual periods in women is completely stopped.
• Learn about the reasons for early menopause.
• Check genitals of infants that are difficult to identify.
• Diagnose polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), which is a major cause of infertility in females.
• Monitor certain types of ovarian cancer.
• Discover the reason for amenorrhea which means the lack of menstruation.

Why is it prescribed?

The doctor orders an AMH blood test when the female has trouble getting pregnant. The test helps understand the probability of conceiving a baby. In case of an ongoing treatment from a fertility specialist, the doctor may prescribe this test to foresee if the woman will respond fine to the treatment like in vitro fertilisation (IVF).

If the test reveals normal levels of AMH, it indicates that the woman has adequate eggs available and is likely to respond well to the treatment. Low levels of AMH show that the woman has fewer eggs available and might not respond better to the treatment.

As mentioned previously, the doctor is likely to order an AMH test when the woman has PCOS symptoms. Besides, the AMH test is also done to check the effectiveness of the treatment in case the woman is being treated for ovarian cancer.

How is it conducted?

To conduct this test, a healthcare professional will draw a small amount of blood from a vein in the arm of the woman, using a needle. Once the blood is drawn, it is safely poured into a vial or test tube. The whole procedure of collecting blood does not take more than five minutes.

Is any preparation required for the test?

For the AMH test, women do not need any special preparations except they should not have taken any ovulation inducing drugs before giving the blood sample.

AMH Levels Interpretation

Both high AMH and low AMH levels are considered harmful. Mentioned below the most common interpretation of AMH levels. However, it is always advised to discuss in case of any doubts with the doctor instead of drawing any conclusion on your own. Let us check out a basic interpretation:
• Greater than 3.0 ng/ml – high (an indicator of PCOS condition)
• More than 1.0 ng/ml – normal
• 0.7 – 0.9 ng/ml – low normal range
• 0.3 – 0.6 ng/ml – low
• Less than 0.3 ng/ml – very low

It is always recommended to have an honest conversation with your doctor and get all doubts cleared before going for the treatment, be it AMH Test Cost or solution after the result, in case it is not normal.