ORH was one of the earliest adopters of routine AMH screening in the US, and certainly the first in the Pacific NW. AMH stands for anti-mullerian hormone. The hormone is secreted by the pre-antral and small antral follicles in the female ovary. These are small follicles that can later grow into mature follicles which produce the oocytes (eggs) that will be required for your pregnancy. AMH is only produced by these very small follicles that are not detectable by ultrasound or other hormone markers such as FSH and Inhibin B. These levels are very low in women who have diminished ovarian reserve and very high in women who may have polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). As such, it is a useful marker to help us determine the quantity and quality of the follicles remaining in the ovary. This is referred to as your ovarian “reserve.”
We have found this test to be tremendously useful. We use the results in combination with several other markers and procedures to determine the most appropriate course of therapy. AMH will provide an additional piece of very useful and specific information about your available egg supply, essentially functioning as an early warning system alerting to the possibility of decreased fertility potential.
The test is obtained on a simple blood specimen. Some insurance plans cover the test; if yours does not, the out-of-pocket expense ranges from $65-$75.
There is no such thing as a single perfect test that can completely assess and predict your fertility progress. However, as an integral part of the complete and thorough assessment of ovarian reserve offered at ORH, we have found AMH to an invaluable addition.
