If you’ve had your fertility hormones tested, there’s a good chance you’ve heard about AMH — short for Anti-Müllerian Hormone.
And if that number came back on the lower side, it might’ve left you feeling a little panicked . . . confused . . . maybe even defeated.
But I want you to know: your AMH level is not the full picture — not even close.
So let’s break down exactly what this hormone means, what it doesn’t mean, and what you can do to support your fertility journey (regardless of what your test results say).
AMH is a hormone produced by the granulosa cells in the small, developing follicles in your ovaries — the ones that haven’t yet matured into the single egg you ovulate each cycle. These little guys are part of your antral follicle pool, which is where your eggs begin their journey every month.
Think of AMH levels as a reflection of how many eggs your ovaries are actively preparing at any given time.
↳ Higher AMH? More follicles hanging out, getting ready.
↳ Lower AMH? Fewer follicles in the queue.
And because of that connection, AMH is often used as a marker of “ovarian reserve” — a fancy term for how many eggs you have left, and therefore your fertility status.
But here’s the thing: AMH isn’t the be-all, end-all. It’s just one hormone, one snapshot in time.
It’s true that AMH naturally trends downward as we get older and have less eggs in our ovaries — that’s part of our biology. Average AMH levels tend to fall within these ranges:
But here’s what’s really important to know: these are just averages.
A 2014 study found that AMH levels can vary by as much as 80% between women of the same age — even if they have normal fertility. Let that sink in for a moment.
So if you’re 35 and your AMH is lower than your friend’s, it doesn’t automatically mean she’s more fertile than you. Everyone’s hormonal fingerprint is unique, and fertility is influenced by so much more than just one number.
Age matters — but it’s not the whole story. What matters even more is how you support your egg quality, hormone balance, and overall reproductive wellness from here on out.
This is one of the most common questions I get — and the answer can feel a little murky (thanks, lab variations and hormone nuance!). But let’s break it down simply.
AMH levels are measured in nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL), and while there’s no universal standard, here’s a general idea of what’s considered typical:
AMH starts rising during adolescence, peaks in your early to mid-20s (around age 25), and then slowly declines with age — that part is totally normal. But remember, this number is just one part of your overall fertility story.
Also important: AMH results can vary slightly between labs because they use different assays (fancy word for testing equipment and methods). So if you’ve had your levels checked more than once and they’re not exactly the same, that doesn’t necessarily mean anything has changed — it could just be a lab-to-lab difference.
Let’s bust some major myths, shall we?
This is probably the biggest misconception. A low AMH level does not mean you won’t be able to conceive naturally, and that your only option for pregnancy is through IVF or other interventions. Many women with low AMH do conceive naturally — sometimes quickly, sometimes with additional support.
In fact, a 2017 study found no association between AMH levels and natural conception rates in women aged 30–44 who had been trying to conceive for three months or less.
Egg quantity and quality are different beasts. AMH only gives us a sense of how many eggs might be maturing each month inside your ovaries — not how healthy those eggs are.
Egg quality is far more influenced by things like age, oxidative stress, nutrient status, hormonal balance, and lifestyle factors. And unlike quantity, quality can be supported and improved.
Some people worry that a low AMH means menopause is right around the corner. But research shows this isn’t accurate. While AMH levels do decline as you approach menopause indicating your ovarian reserve is changing, they’re not a reliable way to predict when it will happen.
Okay, so AMH isn’t a crystal ball. But it still offers valuable insight — when interpreted in context.
Here’s what we can learn:
If you’re pursuing IVF or egg freezing, your doctor may use your AMH level to help determine your protocol. Women with higher AMH might produce more eggs with stimulation, while lower AMH may mean fewer eggs will be retrieved — but remember, egg quality still matters more than quantity!
If your AMH is very low (or very high), your practitioner might want to look at other labs — like FSH, estradiol, LH, testosterone, DHEA, thyroid hormones, and an antral follicle count via ultrasound. All these together help paint a more complete fertility picture.
While it’s not perfect, AMH can help us understand how many eggs are available for recruitment in a given cycle. That’s useful if you’re trying to conceive, but also if you’re thinking about future family planning or egg preservation.
Before you let your AMH number define your fertility future, there’s something you should know: your AMH levels don’t exist in a vacuum. There are a handful of factors — some of them temporary! — that can skew your reading and make it either artificially high or lower than it should be.
Let’s walk through the most common ones:
If you’ve been diagnosed with (or suspect you have) Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), it’s totally normal to have a higher AMH. In fact, research shows that women with PCOS often have 2–3x higher AMH levels compared to those without the condition.
But here’s the kicker: that doesn’t mean you have better fertility. High AMH in PCOS is usually due to a higher number of immature follicles that aren’t progressing to ovulation, resulting in anovulatory cycles. So while it might look like your ovarian reserve is robust, your body may not be releasing an egg each month — and that’s the piece we want to address.
If your AMH came back low, it could be because your vitamin D levels are low, too. A 2016 study found that when women with vitamin D deficiency started supplementing, their AMH levels increased by 10–30%.
Vitamin D acts like a hormone in the body — it’s involved in egg development, follicle health, and AMH expression. So if you’ve been stuck indoors, slathering on sunscreen (we love a sun-safe queen), or live in a northern climate, it might be worth testing and optimizing your D levels before reading too much into your AMH.
Endocrine-disrupting chemicals — like BPA, phthalates, and pesticides — can negatively impact reproductive hormones, including AMH. A 2016 study found that women with higher levels of these toxins had lower AMH levels, even when adjusting for age and other variables.
The takeaway? Your environment matters. Supporting your body’s detox pathways, buying organic foods, choosing clean personal care products & cleaning supplies, filtering your water, purifying your indoor air, and reducing plastic exposure (especially with food and drinks!) can be small but powerful steps toward protecting your hormones.
If you’re currently on hormonal birth control — or recently stopped — it’s worth knowing that AMH can appear 19–30% lower while using contraception. And it may take 3–6 months after stopping for your AMH levels to return to baseline.
So if you’ve been on the pill or an IUD and just had your AMH tested, take that result with a grain of salt. Your body might simply be in transition — and I’m a big fan of giving it time and grace to recalibrate.
If you’re currently on hormonal birth control — or recently stopped — it’s worth knowing that AMH can appear 19–30% lower while using contraception. And it may take 3–6 months after stopping for your AMH levels to return to baseline.
So if you’ve been on the pill or an IUD and just had your AMH tested, take that result with a grain of salt. Your body might simply be in transition — and I’m a big fan of giving it time and grace to recalibrate.
Hearing “low AMH” can feel like a gut punch, but it’s not a sentence. It’s a signal.
And this is where I can really dig in with clients. Because how you care for your body now can absolutely influence your fertility outcomes later.
Here’s where we start:
It’s important to focus on key nutrients that directly support mitochondrial health and reduce oxidative stress — both crucial for optimal egg quality. These include:
It’s also crucial to optimize total protein intake, iron, and B vitamins — found in abundance in quality animal foods, leafy greens, and organ meats.
Stable blood sugar = happy hormones. When insulin spikes and crashes all day, it puts stress on the entire reproductive system. Emphasizing balanced meals, protein-forward snacks, and gentle movement helps to create more metabolic calm in the body.
Chronic stress can suppress ovulation, reduce hormone production, and increase inflammation — all things that can negatively affect egg quality. I’m not here to say “just relax,” but I am here to support your nervous system with tools like:
These three systems are deeply connected to fertility. I’ll often suggest we run deeper labs to check:
When we support your whole system, your reproductive system often follows.
And remember, egg development is a marathon (not a sprint) — taking about 85 days from start to finish. So consistency is key — your nutrient intake, stress support, and detox habits can take ~3 months to show up in lab results and symptom improvements.
While some hormone hiccups are totally normal and can be supported with lifestyle shifts, there are certain signs your body might need a little extra love — and possibly a deeper evaluation.
If any of these sound familiar, it’s a good idea to connect with a practitioner asap:
Your AMH number is just one data point — a snapshot of one piece of your fertility puzzle.
It doesn’t determine your worth. It doesn’t define your body’s ability. And it doesn’t mean there’s nothing you can do.
In fact, you’re more powerful than you’ve been told. With the right nourishment, support, and strategy, you can work with your body — not against it — to create the conditions for successful conception and hormonal health.
The Fertility Code is the best-kept secret of women who want to take the guesswork out of conceiving, and give themselves every possible chance of getting, and staying, pregnant successfully.
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Sarah Jane Sandy is a certified nutrition therapist, and a fertility and women’s health expert. She has helped hundreds of women increase their fertility naturally and go on to have healthy full-term pregnancies. She has been working with women and couples trying to get pregnant for over 16 years and over 90% of the women who work with her get pregnant and have healthy babies.
She also works with women trying to fix their hormone imbalances, as well as supporting women through pregnancy and the postpartum period. Learn more about her own fertility and hormone journey here. To send Sarah a message, complete her Contact Form.
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