AMH and fertility hormones, with honest interpretation of what ovarian reserve does and doesn't predict.
Referred by a GMC-registered GP, results reviewed by the same doctor
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Results explained in plain English, not just a number
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This panel assesses ovarian reserve and the hormonal factors affecting fertility.
What AMH does and does not tell you needs stating clearly, because it is widely misunderstood and sometimes sold as more than it is. AMH indicates roughly how many eggs remain. It says very little about their quality, and it is a poor predictor of whether you will conceive naturally. Egg quality tracks with age, not with AMH — and age remains the single most important factor in fertility.
A low AMH in a woman in her early thirties is not a prediction that she cannot conceive. A reassuring AMH at 42 does not undo the effect of being 42.
Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) — produced by developing follicles, so it reflects the size of the remaining pool. Its main practical use is predicting how someone will respond to ovarian stimulation in IVF, which is what it was developed for and where it performs well.
FSH, LH and oestradiol — the pituitary and ovarian picture, taken on days 2 to 5.
Progesterone — taken separately around day 21 to confirm ovulation has actually occurred, which is a distinct and often more useful question.
Prolactin — raised levels are a genuine and treatable cause of difficulty conceiving.
Testosterone, SHBG and free androgen index — relevant to PCOS, where AMH is characteristically high rather than low, and where the issue is ovulation rather than reserve.
Thyroid function with antibodies — thyroid disease affects both conception and miscarriage risk, and is straightforwardly treatable.
Vitamin D, iron status and diabetes markers — all relevant to preconception health.
An honest caveat about testing for reassurance. AMH is increasingly marketed as a fertility check for women with no fertility problem. It can generate real anxiety from a low-normal result that has no bearing on natural conception, and false reassurance from a high one. If you are trying to decide about timing, the number is a smaller part of that picture than it is usually presented as — and fertility is not one person's issue, so male factors warrant assessment in parallel rather than afterwards.
Included: anti-Mullerian hormone · oestradiol · FSH · LH · progesterone · prolactin · testosterone · SHBG · free androgen index · thyroid function with antibodies · full blood count · iron status · vitamin D · diabetes markers including insulin · liver, kidney and heart health · cortisol and DHEA-S.
The panel is built to rule out the common non-gynaecological causes of difficulty conceiving — thyroid disease, insulin resistance and nutritional deficiency — rather than testing ovarian reserve in isolation.
Chlamydia and gonorrhoea screening can be added, since undetected infection is a recognised and treatable cause of tubal infertility.
1. Consultation. We cover cycle history, how long you have been trying, previous pregnancies, and — importantly — whether your partner has been assessed. Male factors account for around half of fertility difficulty and are routinely investigated second rather than alongside.
2. Referral. To a Randox Health clinic, timed to your cycle.
3. The sample. AMH can be measured at any point in your cycle, which is one of its practical advantages. The other hormones are usually taken on days 2 to 5, with progesterone separately around day 21. Hormonal contraception lowers AMH readings and suppresses the other hormones — tell us what you take, as it may mean waiting.
4. Results review. A GP explains what the results support and what they do not, distinguishes a reserve problem from an ovulation problem, and arranges fertility referral where appropriate — including advising when NHS fertility services are the better route, since criteria and funding vary by area.
AMH can be measured at any point in your cycle. Other hormones are usually taken on days 2 to 5. Hormonal contraception lowers AMH readings — tell the GP what you take.
Anti-Müllerian hormone reflects how many eggs remain, not how good they are. Egg quality is determined overwhelmingly by age, and there is no test for it.
A 42-year-old with a high AMH still has 42-year-old eggs. That distinction is the single most misunderstood thing about this test, and it is not always made clear by clinics selling it.
A low AMH means fewer eggs in reserve. It does not mean you cannot conceive naturally, and plenty of women with low AMH conceive without difficulty.
What it does predict reasonably well is the response to IVF stimulation — which is precisely what it was developed for. That is a fertility clinic's question, not a measure of your chances this month.
A high AMH is not better fertility. Markedly raised levels are common in PCOS, and can indicate a higher risk of overstimulation during IVF.
It also does not mean you can safely wait. Age still governs egg quality regardless of the number.
AMH can be measured at any point in the cycle, unlike FSH and oestradiol, which need days 2 to 5.
Hormonal contraception lowers AMH, sometimes substantially, and levels recover after stopping. A result taken on the pill is likely to understate your reserve.
AMH is sold as an "egg timer" or "fertility MOT", and it is neither. It was developed to predict IVF response, and that is what it does well.
A low result in a woman not trying to conceive frequently causes considerable distress without changing anything — which is worth weighing before testing.
Hormonal contraception lowers it, as does recent ovarian surgery. Vitamin D deficiency and high-dose biotin can also affect assays.
If you have been trying for a year — or six months if over 35 — you need a full fertility assessment, not an AMH.
That means both partners, including a semen analysis, and it is free on the NHS. An AMH alone is a narrow answer to a broad question.
NHS fertility investigation is free after twelve months of trying, or six months if you are over 35 — and it is far more complete than an AMH: hormone profile, ovulation confirmation, tubal assessment, and a semen analysis for your partner.
If you meet that threshold, go there first. It costs nothing and it asks the right questions.
Deciding whether to test at all. That sounds like a strange thing to charge for, but a great deal of distress comes from low results in women who were not trying to conceive and for whom nothing changed as a result.
It is genuinely useful before egg freezing, before IVF, or where there is a specific reason to think reserve is reduced — previous ovarian surgery, chemotherapy, or a family history of early menopause.
No — and this is the most important thing to understand about it.
It measures how many eggs remain, not whether you can conceive. Women with low AMH conceive naturally all the time, and women with high AMH sometimes struggle.
No, and nothing does. Quality is determined overwhelmingly by age.
A 42-year-old with a high AMH still has 42-year-old eggs — the number does not make them younger, and no clinic can offer a test that measures quality.
That your ovarian reserve is lower than average for your age — which matters most for how you would respond to IVF stimulation.
It does not mean you cannot conceive naturally, and it is not a reason to panic. It may be a reason not to delay, which is a different conversation.
Not reliably for an individual. There is a loose association across populations, but the prediction is far too imprecise to plan around.
Any point — AMH is stable across the cycle. That is one of its genuine advantages.
Other hormones are different: FSH and oestradiol need days 2 to 5.
Yes — hormonal contraception lowers AMH, sometimes substantially.
A result taken on the pill will understate your reserve, and levels recover after stopping. Worth knowing before drawing conclusions from a low number.
No, and any supplement claiming otherwise is not being honest with you.
Ovarian reserve declines and does not recover. What you can influence is general health, smoking and weight — all of which affect fertility through other routes.
Not necessarily. Markedly raised AMH is common in PCOS, and can mean a higher risk of overstimulation during IVF.
It is a number that needs interpreting alongside your cycles and symptoms, not read as a score.
No — you need a proper fertility assessment, and it is free on the NHS.
That includes your partner. Male factors account for roughly half of fertility problems, and a semen analysis is the single most informative first test. An AMH alone answers a much narrower question.
Clinically reviewed by Dr Mohammad Zubair Khan, GMC 7563469
Last reviewed
August 23, 2026
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