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AMH Ovarian Reserve Test
Anti-Mullerian hormone, the blood marker fertility clinics use as a guide to how many eggs are still in reserve.
- Doctor-reviewed results
- Laboratory analysis
- 1 to 2 working days from lab receipt
- No fasting required
What’s included
1 marker measured
Anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH)
Anti-Mullerian hormone, which can help when assessing ovarian reserve. It is of no use for predicting when the menopause will start, and it should not be used on its own to diagnose premature ovarian insufficiency. Combined hormonal contraception and HRT can affect the result, and results can vary between laboratory methods.
Overview
AMH is the number fertility clinics quote when they talk about ovarian reserve, and it is the one hormone you can measure on any day of the cycle. People test it while deciding whether to try for a baby now or later, before egg freezing, when periods have become irregular, or simply to have a figure to take into a fertility appointment rather than starting from nothing.
AMH is made by the small follicles sitting in the ovaries, so the level tracks roughly how many eggs are left rather than how good they are. It can be taken on any day of the cycle, which is why it is often measured first when someone is thinking about timing, egg freezing or IVF. A doctor reads it against your age, because the same number means something different at 28 and at 41.
Who this is for and who it isn’t
Who it’s for
- Women aged 18 and over
- Women weighing up whether to try for a baby now or later
- Anyone considering egg freezing who wants a starting figure
Who it isn’t for
- AMH says nothing about egg quality, and quality matters at least as much as number. It also does not tell you whether you can conceive naturally this year: women with low AMH conceive, and women with high AMH sometimes do not. If you are on the combined pill your level reads lower than your true one, and in polycystic ovary syndrome it reads high without meaning extra fertility.
- If you have been trying to conceive for a year, or for less time if you are 36 or over, see your GP rather than relying on a single hormone.
- Anyone with a new, severe or worsening symptom: contact your GP or call NHS 111. A test you buy today is not a substitute for being examined.
Common reasons people choose this test
- Thinking about how long you can wait before trying to conceive
- Considering egg freezing and wanting a starting figure
- Irregular or absent periods you want looked into
- A family history of early menopause
- Preparing for a fertility appointment and wanting numbers to bring
These are reasons people choose to test, not signs that something is wrong. A result is one part of a picture your doctor puts together with your history and an examination.
What your result looks like
Every result is shown with the unit and the reference range exactly as the laboratory reported it, with the doctor’s note underneath.
- Anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH)▼ Low
- Result
- 3.1 pmol/L
- Range
- age-related
| Marker | Result | Units | Range | Flag |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) | 3.1 | pmol/L | age-related | ▼ Low |
Doctor’s note (example)
AMH is low for age, which suggests a smaller ovarian reserve. It says nothing about the chance of conceiving naturally this cycle, and it is one input a fertility specialist uses, not a verdict.
Values above are examples. Your report shows your own results with the laboratory’s units and reference range for your age and sex, reviewed, signed and released by a GMC-registered doctor.
How it works
- Your kit arrivesPosted to your door, with instructions and what you need to send your sample back.
- You take your sampleFinger-prick sample at home, or a clinic blood draw, your choice
- The laboratory analyses itYour sample is processed for the measurements included in this test. Lab processing typically takes 1 to 2 working days from receipt of your sample.
- A doctor reviews and releases itA GMC-registered doctor reads every result and signs the report before it reaches you.
- Sample
- Home finger-prick kit
- Preparation
- No fasting required
- Who it's for
- Women · ages 18+
How to prepare
What we can and can’t tell you
The reference range beside each result is the laboratory’s own. A result in range is not a clean bill of health and a result outside it is not a diagnosis. Most ranges cover about 95% of healthy people, so about 1 in 20 healthy people fall just outside any one range. No test result replaces an examination or your own doctor’s judgement, and none of these panels is a cancer screening programme.
Read the full note
The reference range printed beside each of your results is the laboratory's own, and it is the range that applies to your result. We do not apply a second range of our own, and we do not tell you that a result the laboratory reported as normal is nonetheless too low or too high. If you see a claim elsewhere that your result ought to sit inside a narrower band than the one the laboratory printed, treat it with caution and ask your doctor.
Some assays cannot give an exact figure above or below a certain point, and those results are reported the way the laboratory sends them, for example as a value greater than a stated number. A result in range is not a clean bill of health, and a result outside a range is not a diagnosis: most reference ranges are set to cover about 95% of healthy people, so some healthy people fall just outside them. No blood test replaces an examination, a scan or your own doctor's judgement, and none of these panels is a screening programme for cancer.
If you have a symptom that is new, severe, or getting worse, contact your GP or NHS 111 rather than waiting for a test result. In an emergency call 999.
Frequently asked questions
Does the day of my cycle matter?
No, which is the practical advantage of AMH over the other fertility hormones. It changes little across the month, so any day is fine.
Does the contraceptive pill change the result?
It can. The combined pill, ring and implant lower AMH, typically by around a fifth. Progestogen-only methods can lower it too, and the hormonal coil has little or no effect. The level usually returns once you stop. Tell us what you use and the reviewing doctor reads the result with that in mind.
What does a low result actually mean?
It suggests fewer eggs in reserve than typical for your age, which is information about timing rather than a verdict. It is one of several things a fertility specialist weighs up, alongside an ultrasound follicle count, your age and your history. The doctor's note explains where your figure sits for your age.
How often would I repeat it?
Most people have no reason to repeat it often. If you are watching a trend, once a year is plenty, and it helps to use the same laboratory each time because different methods report on slightly different scales.
Does biotin affect the result?
It can. High-dose biotin (vitamin B7), often sold for hair, skin and nails, can make some hormone results read too high or too low. Laboratory advice is usually to leave at least 8 hours after a dose of 5 mg or more, and some advise longer, so the simplest approach is to skip it on the day of your sample. Tell us if you take it, and do not stop a medicine that a doctor has prescribed.
How long do results take?
The laboratory typically takes 1 to 2 working days from receiving your sample. This does not include kit delivery, sample collection or return postage. A doctor reviews your results before they are released.
Can I choose a home kit or a clinic?
Both, it is your choice at checkout. Either collect a finger-prick sample at home with the posted kit and send it back as the instructions explain, or book a clinic appointment and have a trained clinician take the sample for you.
Is a doctor involved?
Yes. Every result is reviewed by a GMC-registered doctor who signs it off and explains what it means and what to do next.
Is it confidential?
Your results are available through your secure patient portal. Our privacy policy explains how your information is handled and when it may be shared to provide your care.
What happens to my sample and results?
Your sample is analysed at a UKAS-accredited laboratory (ISO 15189). A GMC-registered doctor then reads every result and signs the report before it is released, so nothing reaches you unreviewed. There is no option to receive results without a doctor reading them first. The report arrives in your secure portal in plain English: each result with its unit and the laboratory's own reference range, and the doctor's note on what the set means read together. If a result sits outside its range the report says so and explains what usually happens next, which is most often a conversation with your own GP, who can act on it alongside your history and examination. Most reference ranges are set to cover about 95% of healthy people, so about 1 in 20 healthy people fall just outside any one of them. On a report with many results it is common for one to sit just outside its range, and a single number on its own rarely tells the whole story. If a result needs urgent attention, the reviewing doctor is alerted straight away and we contact you by phone the same working day rather than leaving it in the portal for you to find. If a specific result needs rechecking, the reviewing doctor says so in your report.
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