Notes when testing AMH levels to assess ovarian reserve

The article is professionally consulted by Specialist Doctor I Nguyen Thi Man - Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology - Vinmec International Hospital Da Nang.

The AMH test, which assesses ovarian reserve, plays an important role in determining a woman's fertility, especially in patients with premature ovarian failure. When performing the AMH test, there are a few points that patients need to keep in mind to ensure accurate results.

AMH is an acronym for Anti-mullerian Hormone. This is a hormone secreted directly by the granulosa cells of the ovarian follicle and is directly related to the number of primordial follicles in the ovary. The AMH level indicates the number of immature follicles present in the ovary, also known as the ovarian reserve. Ovarian reserve is one of the fertility markers.
AMH levels do not change significantly during the menstrual cycle and decrease with age. In healthy women and under 38 years of age, normal AMH levels range from 2.0 to 6.8 ng/ml (14.28 to 48.55 pmol/L). Low AMH levels reflect reduced ovarian reserve, and higher AMH levels have also been observed in women with PCOS.

The AMH test is a fairly new test that has only been deployed in Vietnam recently. This test plays a very important role in the diagnosis and treatment of infertility, especially before performing ovarian stimulation and in vitro fertilization. When performing the test, the patient understands the following issues:
When should AMH be tested? The concentration of AMH will be constant, does not change with the menstrual cycle, so it can be done on any day of the menstrual cycle. This is the advantage of the AMH test over the previous FSH test. Therefore, making ovarian fertility testing becomes much more convenient for patients. Previously, ovarian function tests (FSH, LH, E2) had to be performed at the beginning of the menstrual cycle (days 2-4);

When indicated, the patient will have venipuncture and can do the test on any day of the menstrual cycle. The test is performed by electroluminescence immunoassay method to ensure high accuracy; Factors that can affect AMH test results are age, race, smoking status, alcohol consumption, obesity, polycystic ovaries, oral contraceptive use, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and surgery. surgery on one or both ovaries,... Therefore, before performing the AMH test, the patient needs to inform the doctor about the above conditions so that the doctor can have appropriate treatment. The AMH test is considered to be the most accurate test in evaluating ovarian reproductive function. The level of AMH in a woman's blood is an indicator of ovarian reserve and is useful in assessing reproductive status, especially in patients with premature ovarian failure. By simply performing an AMH test, a doctor can estimate a patient's fertility.