Helix Clinic blog

AMH stands for Anti-Mullerian Hormone, which is produced directly by the ovarian follicles. AMH levels correlate with the number of antral follicles present in the ovaries , so women with lower AMH  have lower antral follicular counts compared to women with higher levels.

Antral follicles are small follicles (about 2-8 mm in diameter) that can be seen, measured and counted with ultrasound. Antral follicles are also referred to as resting follicles, and according to some fertility clinics, the antral follicle count (in conjunction with female age) is the best test for estimating ovarian reserve and/or chances for pregnancy with IVF. The day 3 FSH levels are also important.

AMH levels are considered optimal between 28.6 pmol/L - 48.5 pmol/L, satisfactory between 15.7 pmol/L - 28.6 pmol/L and low between 2.2 pmol/L - 15.7 pmol/L. They do not vary through the menstrual cycle and can be measured on any day.

Because AMH levels correlate with the number of early antral follicles, they is useful for prediciting ovarian response in an IVF cycle. Women with low AMH levels are more likely to be poor ovarian responders.

The AMH test can also give a measure of ovarian aging – women with poor ovarian reserves generally have low levels of AMH. The AMH test is fairly new, expensive and not always available, which is why the gold standard for ovarian reserve testing is still the day 3 FSH test.

Tags: AMH, Anti-Mullerian hormone, antral follicles, FSH, infertility, IVF