What does it measure?
Small growing follicles in the ovaries make anti-Müllerian hormone. Clinicians mainly use it as one part of an ovarian-reserve assessment and to help plan fertility treatment. It provides information about the expected response to stimulation, not a direct count of every remaining egg.
Before the test
- Sample
- A blood sample from a vein.
- Preparation
- This test alone usually needs no special preparation. Instructions for other tests may differ.
What can the result mean?
A lower result can fit a smaller follicle pool; a higher result can occur with a larger pool or polycystic ovaries. Neither guarantees nor rules out natural pregnancy. AMH does not measure egg quality or diagnose polycystic ovary syndrome by itself. [1]
When is it useful, and how is it read?
Use it within a fertility assessment or treatment-planning discussion, with age, menstrual history, ultrasound findings, and other relevant hormones. A low value and difficulty conceiving are not interchangeable, and a high value alone does not diagnose PCOS. [1]
What can affect it?
Age, hormonal contraception, ovarian procedures, and the assay affect interpretation. Levels are often less tied to cycle day than some other reproductive hormones, but variation still occurs. One result cannot precisely predict when menopause will happen. [1]
Myth: «AMH tells you whether you can become pregnant naturally»
AMH helps estimate the follicle pool and likely response to ovarian stimulation. It does not measure egg quality or provide a yes-or-no answer about natural pregnancy. [1]
Questions you might have
Does low AMH mean I cannot become pregnant?
No. AMH informs ovarian-reserve assessment but cannot predict pregnancy on its own. [1]
Does AMH measure egg quality?
No. It helps estimate follicle activity and likely response to fertility medicines; egg quality is a different question. [1]
What comes next?
Discuss the result in relation to your age, cycle, goals, and ultrasound findings when indicated. Decisions about timing or treatment should consider the whole fertility assessment. [1]
What does AMH tell us about treatment response, and what can it not tell us about my chance of pregnancy?
The reference interval and units on your report are part of understanding your result. Understand units, reference intervals, and treatment targets.
Sources & references
Medical references & original research
Books we consulted
References that informed our explanations of the test and its context.
- Rifai N, Chiu RWK, Young I, Burnham CAD, Wittwer CT, editors. Tietz Textbook of Laboratory Medicine. 7th ed. Elsevier; 2023.
Practical-section sources accessed: .
For general health education. Interpreting your result and deciding on tests or treatment requires your health context and a qualified clinician.
