The test that tells you what ovarian reserve you have left



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AMH, or the anti-Mullerian hormone, is that indicator of the ovarian reserve that a woman of childbearing age possesses at a certain stage of life. While it is especially recommended for those suffering from infertility, the AMH test can be performed by any woman who wishes to know what the chances of getting pregnant are in the future.

“Often, the chronological age is not the same as the reproductive age of the ovaries. Checking fertility before age 30 can increase a woman’s chances of becoming pregnant naturally, as fertility is known to decline rapidly after this age. “says Andreas Vythoulkas, an obstetrician-gynecologist specializing in infertility.
To better understand, explains the specialist: during each menstrual cycle, a woman loses hundreds of follicles and only one, in the happy case, ends up releasing an egg. AMH is the hormone that balances the egg production process so that it is released every 28 days. The ovarian reserve decreases over the years. If a woman has about two million follicles at birth, their number is about 400,000 during puberty, and at the onset of menopause their number barely reaches 1,000 follicles.

The test is simple to perform

The test is a simple blood draw, which can be collected at any time and on any day of the menstrual cycle. “The low level of the hormone shows the imminent approach to menopause. High values ​​can also occur in people with polycystic ovary syndrome, but also as a reaction to treatment for the IVF procedure. The level of AMH is negatively affected. from: age, ovarian infections, smoking, obesity or underweight and ovarian surgery, “says Andreas Vythoulkas.

How to interpret the result

While it is not possible to say exactly what the normal value of this hormone should be, here are some guiding interpretations:
– a value higher than 4.0 ng / ml – increase in fertility, but also in polycystic ovaries
– between 1.5 and 4.0 ng / ml – normal level of follicles
– between 1.0 and 1.5 ng / ml – the ovarian reserve is decreasing
– between 0.5 and 1.0 ng / ml – close to menopause
– value less than 0.5 ng / ml – onset of menopause

The AMH test value is particularly useful before an IVF procedure. Depending on this, drug treatment for ovarian stimulation is dosed. “The in vitro fertilization procedure is based on stimulating the ovaries in order to get more eggs to fertilize. A low ovarian reserve will require more intense stimulation,” explains the doctor.
If you want to do the AMH test out of pure curiosity, so that you know how much you can delay the conception of a baby, you find that this analysis offers absolutely no indication of the quality of the eggs. They can be numerous, but of poor quality. And age is a major cause of quality decline.



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