AMH: fertility and PCOS testing

Written By Ceda Jarick

AMH, Anti-Mullarien Hormone, is a hormone that is produced by small, developing follicles in the Ovaries. This is why you might like to have it tested:

  • AMH helps us to estimate Ovarian Reserve. Fewer follicles = lower AMH, more follicles = higher AMH, PCOS = high AMH

  • AMH helps your Fertility Specialist to diagnose PCOS (combined with an ultrasound and other blood markers)

  • AMH helps your Fertility Specialist to predict your response to IVF medications

  • AMH helps you to make decisions about your Fertility plan - try naturally, or move on to Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) including IVF

AMH is produced by the follicles in the Ovaries when they are in the ‘Small Antral Follicle’ stage of development. In PCOS, many follicles don’t mature fully, due to dysrupted hormone signalling. This leads to a higher production of AMH. This also means that if you have signs of PCOS, improving Ovulation and hormone signalling can help to lower your AMH to expected levels.

What AMH doesn’t tell us:

  • Egg quality

  • Whether ovulation is occurring each cycle

  • Exact likelihood of falling pregnancy naturally

  • When you will go into menopause

There can be variation in AMH, according to the lab that processes the blood test*. I’ve seen major variations, only a couple of cycles apart.

If you have PCOS, or a low AMH, the treatment strategy might be to use diet, lifestyle, Chinese Herbs and Acupuncture to enhance egg quality and ovulation. It may be the best course of action to move to IVF + Acupuncture, depending on all of your test results.

*Dorevitch seems to be the preferred lab in Bendigo

xx Ceda

Ceda Jarick
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Perimenopause signs and stages