What is AMH?
AMH, or Anti-Müllerian Hormone, is a protein hormone synthesised by cells in ovarian follicles which are the little sacs within the ovaries that hold eggs. AMH is often measured as an indicator of a woman’s ovarian reserve that is her number of eggs. A higher AMH indicates a good reserve of eggs, but if a woman has a low AMH level, it may be an indicator that she has a reduced ovarian reserve, which concerns women who are trying to conceive.
What Does Low AMH Mean?
Generally, a low level of AMH means there are fewer remaining viable eggs in the ovaries. Another natural factor that comes along with low numbers of eggs within the body is age, because women are born with only a limited quantity of eggs, and they keep on declining with age. However, younger women can also carry lower levels of AMH due to other medical factors genetic causes and lifestyle influences. However, low AMH levels do not mean that a woman is sterile; instead, it may indicate that conceiving naturally may be difficult.
Causes of Low AMH Levels
Age: This is the most common reason for AMH levels to be low. Naturally, with age, ovarian reserve in a woman decreases. By the mid 30’s, her AMH levels will start dropping drastically.
Genetics: Some women might naturally have poor ovarian reserve due to a genetic predisposition. Conditions like Turner syndrome or Fragile X syndrome are associated with low levels of AMH.
Medical Conditions: Many diseases and health problems that can impact ovary function will present a state where the AMH is low. For example, chemotherapy or radiation that is performed on a patient because of cancer reduces AMH levels. The woman with endometriosis is one whose tissues are similar to endometrium tissues; as such, they grow from outside the endometrium, and generally, she has low AMH levels.
Lifestyle Factors: Smoking, obesity, and higher stress levels have proven to lower the ovarian reserve value for a woman. Environmental toxins such as radiation and improper eating have also been known to influence a woman’s ovarian reserve.
Low AMH Symptoms
A low AMH value itself doesn’t have any symptoms since it is just a marker of ovarian reserve. However, a woman who has a low level of AMH might experience:
The challenge in Conceiving: Low levels of AMH reflect the lower number of eggs left in the ovaries, thus it becomes more difficult to conceive.
Irregular Periods: Sometimes, diminished ovarian reserve can be associated with an irregular or missed period due to an ovulation problem.
Early Menopause: Very low levels of AMH may sometimes indicate that the woman gets to menopause much before the given normal time.
Checking Low AMH
The blood test is the most common method used for obtaining a sample of AMH, and it can be obtained from a woman at any point in her menstrual cycle. An assessment of ovarian reserve can potentially be made from the concentration of AMH found in blood tests, provided the interpretation of results is taken into account and can thereby influence management decisions.
It is important to understand that low levels of AMH cannot tell a woman just how well she will conceive. Thus, some women with low AMH conceive naturally, while others with higher AMH may not even be able to conceive due to other complications.
Treatment of Low AMH
There is no drug that can increase a woman’s ovarian reserve, but there are treatments which help women with this problem to conceive.
Fertility Medications: Medications would include Clomiphene or injectable gonadotropins. Fertility drugs, such as Clomiphene (Clomid) or injectable gonadotropins, stimulate the ovaries to release additional eggs in hopes of greater opportunities for successful conception.
In Vitro Fertilization (IVF): IVF is the most common type of treatment for women who have low AMH levels. IVF allows for bypassing the need for natural ovulation as it involves the retrieval of eggs, which are then fertilized outside the body, thus making it feasible even for women who have diminished ovarian reserves.
Egg Donation: For some women, the ovarian reserve could be so drained that arguing the use of eggs could be necessary. This method produces a higher chance of conceiving, but the individual must accept using another woman’s eggs.
Lifestyle Changes: Lifestyle changes are unlikely to increase AMH, but improving an overall health condition does improve the fertility chances. Healthy lifestyle habits include achieving and sustaining an ideal body weight, stopping smoking, reducing stress, and eating a balanced, nutrient-rich diet.
In most cases, low AMH is not an impossible reason for women looking to conceive. With appropriate treatments and advice from fertility specialists, most women who have low AMH can still attain their long-sought goals for parenthood. At the time of diagnosis, low AMH may necessitate a visit with a fertility specialist to review the options and devise the best course of action for one’s reproductive goals.