Understanding the intricacies of your reproductive health can seem like decoding a complex puzzle. One such piece of the puzzle is the Anti-Müllerian Hormone (AMH). With this blogpost we aim to help you comprehend AMH’s role in fertility and the factors that affect it.
Your body has a specialised hormone—AMH—that regulates one of the most crucial stages of your reproductive cycle: ovulation. Produced by granulosa cells in developing follicles, AMH safeguards these delicate structures, letting them mature over 3-4 months before they join the ovulation race.
In addition to AMH, your Antral Follicle Count (AFC) is another indicator of your fertile potential. This count reflects the number of small follicles in your ovaries. While higher AMH and AFC levels typically indicate a good response to fertility treatments like IVF, they don’t necessarily equate to high-quality fertility.
AMH levels generally decrease over time, hitting their lowest point 6-8 years before menopause. While it’s tempting to view AMH levels as a direct reflection of our egg count, the relationship between AMH and total egg reserve is far more complex. So, understanding that a dip in AMH doesn’t spell disaster for your egg quantity can help you focus on nurturing and optimising your ovarian health.
"While AMH is a valuable marker, it's just one piece of the puzzle in fertility assessment. Personalised evaluation is key."
Absolutely yes! You can still get pregnant with low AMH.
While AMH gives a general idea about your ovarian reserve, it doesn’t directly control your ability to conceive. Women with low AMH have successfully conceived naturally or through assisted reproductive technologies like IVF. It’s important to remember that factors beyond AMH, such as ovarian response to stimulation and overall egg quality, play a crucial role in fertility. Therefore, maintaining a healthy lifestyle, addressing underlying health conditions, and seeking personalised medical advice can enhance your chances of pregnancy. Consulting with a fertility specialist will provide a clearer picture tailored to your specific circumstances and help you navigate the best path forward.
In the context of IVF, low AMH often means that fewer eggs can be retrieved during a stimulation cycle, potentially reducing the chances of successful fertilisation and embryo development.
Testing AMH and AFC as part of your investigations at the beginning of an IVF cycle will help inform your treatment as you advance through it. In fact, low AMH levels can affect the response to fertility medications, often requiring tailored stimulation protocols to optimise egg production. This makes comprehensive preconception care and individualised treatment plans essential for improving the chances of conceiving, either naturally or through assisted reproductive technologies.
It is also crucial to understand and remind ourselves that low AMH does not equate to poor egg quality. Some women with low AMH can still produce high-quality eggs, leading to successful pregnancies.
Several factors can influence AMH levels:
Integrating acupuncture into fertility treatments is gaining recognition for its ability to support reproductive health, particularly in improving AMH levels and egg quality.
Acupuncture, a time-honoured practice, works by gently stimulating specific points on the body to restore balance, encourage healing, and promote deep relaxation. These effects can be especially valuable for fertility, where stress reduction and hormonal balance play a critical role.
Improved blood flow to the ovaries and uterus is another key benefit, creating ideal conditions for egg maturation and increasing the likelihood of healthy egg production.
Evidence suggests acupuncture may support ovarian function and, in turn, stabilise or even enhance AMH levels (1) and helping to optimise follicle development ahead of fertility treatments, such as IVF. Research also highlights that women undergoing IVF who integrate acupuncture into their treatment plan often experience better IVF outcomes, including more stable AMH levels, improved egg quality and higher rates of pregnancy (2).
This holistic approach aligns with your body’s natural rhythms, offering a personalised and gentle way to maximise fertility potential and support your journey to conception.
While knowing and understanding your AMH levels can provide some insights into your fertility journey, AMH is not the be-all and end-all of your fertility potential. Embracing healthier lifestyle choices and gaining a deeper understanding of how everything works together and what unique factors might be impacting your overall fertility can ultimately empower you to make informed decisions and optimise your fertile potential.
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