Understanding AMH and ovarian reserve: what the numbers mean

What AMH actually measures

Anti-Mullerian hormone, or AMH, is a blood test that gives an indication of ovarian reserve, roughly, the pool of eggs remaining. It can help a specialist anticipate how the ovaries might respond to fertility medication, which is useful when planning treatment such as IVF.

What it measures is quantity-related, not a verdict on whether you can conceive.

What AMH does not tell you

AMH is not a fertility score and does not predict egg quality, which matters just as much as number. A person with a modest AMH can conceive, and a reassuring AMH does not guarantee it. Used alone, the number can mislead, which is why specialists read it alongside your age, cycle, scans and full history.

Age is part of the picture

Egg quality is closely linked to age, and no single hormone test replaces that context. Two people with the same AMH but different ages may have quite different outlooks. Ask how your result reads for someone of your age specifically, rather than in isolation.

Questions worth asking about your result

A number is only useful if you understand it.

• What does my AMH suggest about response to treatment?
• How does it read alongside my age and scan findings?
• Does it change what you would recommend, and why?
• Should it be repeated, and if so when?
• What does it not tell us about my situation?

Use it to inform, not to frighten

An AMH result is one input into a plan, not a sentence. If a clinic uses a single low number to push you quickly toward the most expensive treatment, pause and ask for the fuller reasoning. Good care explains how the pieces fit together.

Common questions