AMH or anti-mullerian hormone is a blood test that I often order. AMH is a hormone that is secreted by cells within our natural follicles in our ovaries. It is a blood test that is used to assess someone’s ovarian reserve which means the pool of eggs that a woman has left. This can help determine if the count is below average, above average or around average for her age.
Watch Dr. Nidhee Sachdev explain AMH & its significance
Since AMH is a numerical value, I use this information to really determine how well someone will respond to medication if they were going to undergo an egg freezing cycle. An AMH test result is useful information and gives us insight into someone’s ovarian reserve. It may be able to tell us about what will happen in the future, but keep in mind this blood test itself does not predict fertility. The only true test of fertility is trying to get pregnant.
“ An AMH test provides useful information that gives insight into a woman’s ovarian reserve or how many eggs she has left.”
So if someone presents into my office having never tried to get pregnant and just wants to learn about their fertility potential, we test for AMH. If we find that her AMH is on the lower side, I advise her that if we were to freeze her eggs, she may get less eggs than someone else her age. AMH doesn’t tell us about her fertility or her ability to get pregnant.
I hope this information is useful for women considering egg freezing and getting their AMH checked.
Nidhee Sachdev, MD FACOG, is a reproductive endocrinology and fertility expert that practices at OC Fertility in Newport Beach, California. Dr. Sachdev spent the early part of her education at UC San Diego for undergrad followed by medical school at UC Irvine. She then went on to complete OBGYN training at the University of Chicago Medicine followed by REI Fellowship at the NYU Langone Fertility Center.
Learn more about OC Fertility’s egg freezing practice on Freeze.
Know your egg count?
Get 25% off at-home AMH testing with promo code FREEZE25. AMH or anti-mullerian hormone corresponds to your ovarian reserve or egg count. AMH declines with age. Knowing your AMH now can help you think about whether egg freezing is right for you.
Testing is available in Ireland, the UK, & the USA.
