How AMH Plays a Key Role in Predicting a Woman’s Fertility
Measuring a woman’s AMH level – Anti-Mullerian Hormone – is crucial to achieving a successful pregnancy through a fresh IVF transfer, as well as for an optimal egg freezing cycle. Why does this matter? AMH testing measure a woman’s ovarian reserve. A woman’s ovarian reserve determines the chances for conceiving and giving birth to a healthy baby using her own eggs. That’s not all. A recent study has found that fertile women having a low AMH level became pregnant less frequently than those with a higher AMH level.
A Woman’s AMH Level Decreases With Age
As a woman ages – post-35 – the count of her egg follicle (ovarian) reserve decreases. Did you know? Obese women have low AMH levels and poor ovarian reserves.
Bottom Line: As shown in the chart below, older women have lower AMH levels than their younger counterparts.
Age 10th Percentile 50th Percentile
18 – 24 1.10 3.60
25 – 29 1.10 3.20
30 – 34 .52 2.10
35 – 39 .20 1.50
40 – 41 .10 .80
42 + .09 .50
Because women with lower AMH levels have less of an ovarian reserve than women with high AMH levels, AMH testing is key to predicting how a woman will respond to fertility medications. Here’s the deal: AMH testing helps Dr. Zhang predict your fertility level – that is – your chances of a successful pregnancy.
Women having low AMH levels do not respond well to fertility medications. These women are classified as poor responders because their bodies to not produce a sufficient number of high quality eggs using fertility medications.
Ovarian Reserve Basics
A woman’s ovarian reserve determines the quality and quantity of the eggs she has remaining to produce during her lifetime.
- Good Ovarian Reserve – High number of eggs and good quality eggs
- Poor Ovarian Reserve – Low number of eggs having poor quality
AMH Level Response
0.5 level 1/3 do not reach embryo transfer stage
0.5 level 18 percent rate of pregnancy
2.0 level or higher 99 percent reach embryo transfer stage
2.0 level or higher 45 percent rate of pregnancy
Why is this important? A low AMH indicates a problem with both the quantity and quality of a woman’s ovarian reserve – her remaining eggs.
AMH Production
AMH is produced by the cells that support the dormant pool of eggs in a woman’s ovaries. Higher levels of AMH is indicative of a large ovarian reserve and predicts a good chance of conception.
- AMH levels are determined through blood testing
- AMH levels do not vary significantly through a woman’s menstrual cycle
- AMH levels can be tested on any given day of a woman’s menstrual cycle
- AMH testing provides insight into the estimated number of eggs that can be retrieved
- AMH testing determines how much fertility medication will be required for ovarian stimulation during a given fresh IVF cycle, as well as a frozen egg cycle
AMH Testing
Measuring the AMH hormone level is routine in a woman’s initial fertility evaluation.
That’s not all: Other testing tools are routinely performed during an initial fertility evaluation to determine a woman’s fertility level.
- Ultrasound imaging of ovaries determine a woman’s Antral Follicle Count (AFC)
- Blood testing to evaluate a woman’s reproductive hormones: FSH, estradiol, luteinizing hormone (LH)
- Hystreosalpingogram (HSG) to check for blockages in a woman’s Fallopian tubes
- Semen Analysis to test the quality and quantity of a man’s sperm
These tests will help your fertility team designed the best customized fertility treatment plan best suited for your personal needs.
World Renowned Fertility Doctor
It is important to work with a fertility doctor having the clinical and research experience required to design a customized fertility treatment or egg freezing plan meeting your personal medical needs. To schedule your initial consultation with Dr. John Zhang at New Hope Fertility Center call 917.525.5496.
