Anti-Mullerian Hormone
Understanding Anti-Mullerian Hormone
What is Anti-Mullerian Hormone?
This test measures the level of anti-müllerian hormone (AMH) in the blood. AMH is made in the reproductive tissues of both males and females. It plays an important role in the development of sex organs in an unborn baby. In women, AMH levels can provide information about fertility and the ability to get pregnant. A woman's ovaries can make thousands of eggs during childbearing years. The number declines as a woman gets older. AMH levels help in determining the potential egg cells remaining in a woman's ovaries.
A high level of AMH indicates your chances are better for getting pregnant. High level is also indicative of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). A low level can mean you may have low ovarian reserve and low chances of reproductive success.
What is Anti-Mullerian Hormone used for?
The AMH Test is performed:
· To evaluate the functioning of the ovaries and female fertility (ovarian reserve of eggs) in adult women
· To determine the external sex organs of an infant in case of ambiguous genitalia (a condition where the external sex organs are not clearly distinguishable into male or female)
· To help in the diagnosis of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)
· To evaluate testicular functioning in infant males
· To monitor treatment efficacy for some ovarian cancers
· To determine the efficacy of assisted reproductive procedures like IVF (In Vitro Fertilisation)
What does Anti-Mullerian Hormone measure?
The AMH Test measures the levels of Anti Mullerian Hormone or AMH in blood.
Anti Mullerian Hormone or AMH is produced primarily by the testicles in males and the ovaries in females. AMH levels in blood determine and regulate a number of activities of the human reproductive system.
In the first few weeks of the fetal development during pregnancy, the fetus has both the primordial male and female reproductive systems and can develop either as a male or a female. In genetic males, high amounts of AMH are secreted by the testicles, suppressing the formation and development of the female reproductive organs from Mullerian ducts (primordial female reproductive system), and encouraging the development of other male sex organs, which results in the development of a male child. Low or no AMH secreted in the genetically female fetus causes the formation and development of female reproductive organs from the Mullerian duct and a female child is developed. Abnormalities of AMH levels in the fetus may cause the formation of ambiguous genitalia.
After birth, AMH levels remain high in males till puberty, after which they fall slowly and taper off with time. AMH levels in females remain low after birth till puberty. During puberty, AMH is secreted by the ovaries resulting in a sharp increase in its levels. The levels slowly keep falling throughout the female reproductive period and become very low to undetectable after menopause. AMH maintains a balance of the two important female reproductive hormones: Luteinizing Hormone (LH) and Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH), which regulate the maturation and release of eggs from the ovaries along with other hormones. Hence, AMH levels during the female reproductive period serve as an indication of the ovarian reserve (number of remaining eggs that can mature fully and be released for reproduction), and hence fertility. It is also an indicator of the onset of menopause, especially in older women.
AMH can also be produced by ovarian cysts formed during PCOS, as well as by some types of ovarian tumors.
Interpreting Anti-Mullerian Hormone results
Interpretations
Males:
Age | Blood AMH Level |
Below 24 months | 14 to 466 ng/ml |
24 months to 12 years | 7.4 to 243 ng/ml |
Above 12 years | 0.7 to 19 ng/ml |
Females:
Age | Blood AMH Level |
Below 24 months | Below 4.7 ng/ml |
24 months to 12 years | Below 8.8 ng/ml |
13 to 45 years | 0.9 to 9.5 ng/ml |
Above 45 years | Below 1.0 ng/ml |
Results in the normal range indicate high fertility and ovarian reserve and a high chance of IVF success.
Results in the low normal range indicate low fertility and ovarian reserve and a reduced but fair chance of IVF success
Results in the very low range indicate a very low ovarian reserve and low chances of reproductive success with IVF.
High AMH levels are usually seen in PCOS and some AMH producing ovarian tumors.