💡 In one sentence: AMH is a hormone produced by small follicles in the ovaries — its blood level reflects a woman's remaining egg supply (ovarian reserve), making it the most useful marker for fertility planning and IVF counselling.
What Does AMH Measure?
AMH is produced by granulosa cells of small (antral and pre-antral) follicles in the ovary. Because follicle numbers decline as a woman ages and her eggs are used up, AMH falls progressively from birth to menopause. Unlike FSH and oestradiol (which fluctuate throughout the menstrual cycle), AMH is remarkably stable — it can be measured on any day of the cycle, at any time of day, without fasting. A higher AMH indicates more follicles remaining (good ovarian reserve); a lower AMH indicates fewer follicles (diminished ovarian reserve). AMH does not predict whether you will conceive naturally — many women with low AMH conceive without difficulty. It primarily guides the expected response to ovarian stimulation in IVF and informs timing decisions for women planning pregnancy in their late 30s.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a low AMH mean I cannot get pregnant?
No — AMH predicts ovarian response to stimulation, not whether you will conceive naturally. Many women with low AMH conceive spontaneously because they still ovulate regularly. AMH reflects the quantity of remaining eggs, not directly their quality (though the two tend to correlate with age). A woman with AMH of 0.4 ng/mL at 34 may still have several years of natural fertility. Low AMH is most clinically relevant when considering IVF, where it predicts how many eggs the ovaries will produce in response to injections.
Does the contraceptive pill affect AMH?
The pill slightly suppresses AMH — typically by 10–20% — because it suppresses follicle activity. AMH returns to baseline within 1–3 months of stopping the pill. If you have been on the pill for several years, your AMH result may be slightly underestimated. For a fully accurate baseline, ideally test 2–3 months after stopping hormonal contraception — though for clinical decision-making, a result on the pill is still useful.
Can I improve my AMH level?
No supplement or lifestyle intervention has been proven to increase AMH — the number of follicles is fixed at birth and cannot be increased after the fact. Some studies suggest vitamin D supplementation improves egg quality in deficient women, and DHEA supplementation may marginally improve IVF outcomes in poor responders, but these do not raise AMH itself. What you can do: act on a low AMH result by not delaying fertility decisions unnecessarily, and consult a fertility specialist for personalised advice.
Is AMH the best fertility test?
AMH is the best single marker of ovarian reserve — it is more stable across the menstrual cycle than FSH and more directly reflects follicle pool than antral follicle count on ultrasound. However, no single test predicts fertility perfectly. A full fertility assessment includes: AMH, FSH, LH, antral follicle count (AFC) on transvaginal ultrasound, female anatomy assessment, partner semen analysis, and ovulation confirmation. AMH is one important piece of a comprehensive picture.