Test
Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) test
The anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) test is a blood test that helps estimate ovarian reserve — a marker of the number of eggs remaining. It helps predict how the ovaries may respond to stimulation, but it is one input among several, not a measure of fertility on its own.
What AMH measures
AMH is a hormone produced by the small follicles in the ovaries, so its blood level acts as a marker of the size of the remaining follicle pool — ovarian reserve. As ASRM explains, the level stays relatively stable across the menstrual cycle, so the sample can usually be taken on any day. A result helps clinicians plan treatment — for example, predicting how the ovaries may respond to stimulation in IVF or before egg freezing.
Important limitations
AMH does not measure egg quality, which is the main factor in the chance of pregnancy. NICE also advises that AMH should not be used to predict the chance of natural conception. Because laboratories use different assays and units, a result only makes sense against that laboratory’s reference range and alongside your age and history.
Always have AMH results explained by a clinician who can put them in context. No single test can tell you whether you will conceive.
What it is used for
- Estimate ovarian reserve (the size of the remaining follicle pool)
- Help predict how the ovaries may respond to stimulation
- Inform planning for treatments such as IVF or egg freezing
Preparing for the test
- AMH stays relatively stable across the menstrual cycle, so the sample can usually be taken on any day
- Follow your clinic's specific advice
Important limitations
- Does not measure egg quality, which is the main driver of the chance of pregnancy
- Should not be used to predict the chance of natural conception
- Reference ranges and assays differ between laboratories, so results are not always directly comparable
- Written by
- Sam Rivera · Health writer
- Medically reviewed by
- Dr Lena Park · Reproductive endocrinologist (medical reviewer)
- Last reviewed
- Next review due
Sources
- ReproductiveFacts.org patient resourcesAmerican Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) · Accessed 19 July 2026
- Fertility problems: assessment and treatment (NICE guideline NG257)National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) · Published 31 March 2026 · Accessed 19 July 2026
- ESHRE guidelines on assisted reproductive technology and ovarian stimulationEuropean Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE) · Published 1 May 2019 · Accessed 30 June 2026
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