What is AMH?

What’s covered?

AMH blood test determines your ovarian reserve.

Ovarian reserve testing is done to determine the likelihood of getting pregnant.

What is AMH?

AMH is the acronym for the anti-Mullerian hormone. It is a hormone produced by the reproductive organs of both men and women. The anti-Mullerian hormone levels fluctuate throughout life. It is also known as the Mullerian inhibiting hormone. It is also produced by the Sertoli cells of the testes and its levels will remain high in females. At the onset of puberty, its levels fall in men and vice versa in women. Its receptors are also found in the brain of mice and they are thought to be responsible for the development of gender-specific attitudes.

This hormone has several functions in the body and the AMH test is recommended to access the ovarian reserve. It is indicated that if a female is finding difficulty in getting pregnant. But first, you should understand what's its role in the body and why you need to check its level.

How AMH levels are important?

Its functions start well before your birth. In foetal life, it is involved in the Early development of sexual organs. You will have the genetic material present for a given gender but a high level of AMH coupled with male genes increases the growth of male organs and vice versa. If however, an adequate level of AMH is not present, the organs of both genders can develop leading to intersex.

The anti-Mullerian hormone is directly linked to women's fertility. Its disturbing levels could be the indications of menopause, menstrual disturbances, polycystic ovary syndrome and even ovarian cancer.

Why you may need an AMH test?

Women will have thousands of tiny eggs in their ovaries at the time of birth. These eggs are present in the ovarian follicles. This egg count is called an ovarian reserve. Not all of these eggs mature and the total Eggs shed during the menstrual cycle by a female may not be more than a few hundred. The AMH levels naturally decline with age and the ovarian reserve is exhausted at the time of menopause.

The level of AMH will tell you the estimated number of eggs in your ovaries. A high ovarian reserve means a high chance of getting pregnant and a low ovarian reserve means fewer eggs. The normal AMH level falls between 2-6.8 ng/ml. The AMH testing is useful to determine ovarian reserve. For a successful pregnancy, the required level is 1-4 ng/ml.

The other indications to go for AMH testing are;

• To predict the initiation of menopause. It is the complete stoppage of ovarian activity and occurs after 50 years of age. A permanently low AMH would mean expected menopause.
• Its level will also tell you the reason for this menopause.
• If you are a teenager and have not noticed periods up to 15, this test will help you to sort the reason.
• It could identify polycystic ovarian disease, the leading cause of female infertility.
• Its level is used to identify the gender of the baby if the shape of the genitals couldn't be identified clearly.
• Its level can help you to monitor ovarian cancers.
• It is a prerequisite for in vitro fertilisation.

Welzo offers an AMH at-home blood test, click here to learn more.

Endnote

As the levels of follicle-stimulating hormone control the growth of follicles, the AMH levels give you an indication of eggs in the ovary. However, additional tests are required to determine the egg quality. A good reserve is a key to successful conception.

For a full range of blood tests and medications, visit our Welzo Online Pharmacy Page. To see our Menopause Blood Test, click here.