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AMH level by age: what your number means
AMH (anti-Müllerian hormone) is a blood test that gives a rough idea of how many eggs are left in the ovaries. AMH levels fall with age, so a result only makes sense next to your age. A low AMH means fewer eggs remain. It does not tell you about egg quality, and it does not mean you cannot get pregnant.
What is AMH?
AMH is made by the small follicles in the ovaries, each holding an immature egg. The more of these follicles there are, the higher the AMH. That is why the test is used as a measure of ovarian reserve: the stock of eggs a woman has left.
The test is a simple blood sample, and it can usually be done on any day of the cycle. It is often read together with an ultrasound count of the small follicles (the antral follicle count, or AFC), which looks at the same question from another angle.
AMH level by age: a rough guide
Every laboratory has its own reference range, and results come in two units: ng/mL or pmol/L (1 ng/mL is about 7.1 pmol/L). The figures below are an approximate guide in ng/mL, not a strict cut-off:
- Late 20s: often around 2.5 to 4.
- Early 30s: often around 2 to 3.
- Late 30s: often around 1 to 2.
- Early 40s: often below 1.
- Mid 40s and after: often below 0.5, falling towards zero near menopause.
Women of the same age can have very different results, and a single number is not a diagnosis. Your doctor reads it with your age, your periods, the follicle count and your other reports.
What is a low AMH?
A result below about 1 ng/mL is usually described as low, and below about 0.5 as very low. A low AMH means fewer eggs are left. In IVF, it usually means fewer eggs will grow with the injections, so the plan and the dose are adjusted. Our page on low AMH and ovarian reserve explains the treatment choices.
What does a high AMH mean?
A high AMH, above about 4 ng/mL, can go with PCOS, where the ovaries hold many small follicles but do not release an egg regularly. In IVF, a high AMH also warns that the ovaries may over-respond to the injections, so the doses are kept gentle to avoid OHSS. See our page on PCOS and getting pregnant.
What AMH does not tell you
- Egg quality. Quality depends mainly on age. A woman of 30 with a low AMH usually has better-quality eggs than a woman of 42 with the same number.
- Whether you can conceive naturally this month. Many women with a low AMH conceive naturally if they ovulate and the tubes and the semen are normal.
- The exact age of menopause. It gives only a broad idea.
Can AMH be raised?
No medicine or diet has been shown to raise the true egg reserve. Smoking lowers it, and some ovarian surgery can lower it. Some birth control pills can lower the reading for a while, which is worth telling your doctor. Because time matters more when AMH is low, it is usually better to plan the next step early than to wait and repeat the test.
When should you get an AMH test?
- When you have been trying for a year without success, or for six months if you are 35 or older.
- Before IVF, to plan the injections.
- If you are thinking of egg freezing or of delaying pregnancy.
- Before surgery on the ovaries, or treatment that may affect them.
How AMH helps plan IVF
Before IVF, AMH and the antral follicle count on scan help the doctor choose the type and strength of the egg-growth injections and judge roughly how many eggs may be collected. A lower AMH points to a gentler expectation and a plan that does not waste time; a high AMH warns that the ovaries may over-respond, so the injections are planned carefully. See our page on IVF injections.
AMH in PCOS
In PCOS the ovaries carry a large number of tiny follicles, so AMH is often raised. That raised number is only one clue: PCOS is diagnosed from the pattern of periods, hormone tests and the scan taken together. Read more on our page about PCOS.
Repeating the test
A second AMH test is rarely needed. The number can differ from one laboratory or test method to another, so compare results from the same lab where you can, and it reads lower while a woman is on the contraceptive pill, so mention it if you are taking one. In most cases one dependable report, looked at alongside your age and the follicle count on the scan, is enough to decide what to do next.
The AMH test is one of several fertility tests for couples. The husband's semen analysis matters just as much.
Questions about the AMH test
What is a normal AMH level for my age?
There is no single normal number, because AMH falls with age and every laboratory uses its own range. As a rough guide in ng/mL: often around 2 to 3 in the early 30s, around 1 to 2 in the late 30s and below 1 in the early 40s. Your doctor reads it with your age and your other reports.
Can I get pregnant naturally with a low AMH?
Yes, many women do. A low AMH means fewer eggs remain, not that the remaining eggs cannot make a baby. If you ovulate and the tubes and the semen report are normal, natural conception is possible. Time matters more, so do not delay seeing a doctor.
Do I need to be on a particular day of my period for the AMH test?
Usually not. AMH stays fairly steady through the cycle, so the blood can be taken on any day. Tell your doctor if you are on birth control pills, which can lower the reading for a while.
Is AMH a test of egg quality?
No. AMH reflects the number of eggs left, not their quality. Egg quality depends mainly on age.
Can medicines or supplements increase AMH?
No medicine, diet or supplement has been shown to raise the real egg reserve. Stopping smoking helps protect it. Plans for treatment are made around the result rather than by trying to change it.
Does a high AMH mean I will get pregnant easily?
Not necessarily. A high AMH can go with PCOS, where ovulation is irregular. In IVF, a high AMH also means the injection doses are kept gentle to avoid over-response (OHSS).
Does a high AMH mean I have PCOS?
Not on its own. AMH is often high in PCOS, but the diagnosis also looks at periods, hormone levels and the scan.
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What you read here explains fertility care in general terms and cannot replace a consultation. Decisions about your own care should be made with a doctor who knows your history and has seen you. We do not carry out or offer sex determination of any kind, which is prohibited by law in India under the PCPNDT Act.