Why the AMH fertility test misleads women about their chances
The AMH blood test is widely sold as a way to predict fertility. But it cannot tell if someone can conceive. Research shows women with low AMH results get pregnant at the same rate as those with high results.
The anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) test measures ovarian reserve, or egg count. It helps guide IVF and egg-freezing decisions.
It can show how many eggs might be retrieved. But fertility clinics and commercial companies wrongly market it as a fertility or egg-timer test.
Research over decades proves women with low AMH conceive at the same rate as those with high AMH. In March, the journal Fertility and Sterility said routine AMH use is deeply flawed.
No test can predict fertility. The only real test is trying to conceive when ready.
Why it mattersWomen may make costly or time-pressured decisions based on test results that cannot actually tell them whether they can have a baby.
AustraliaAustralian women are being marketed these tests by clinics and at-home kits, but they are not covered by Medicare for general screening, making it hard to know how widespread the practice is.
✓ Claims checked against the source. checked 45 d ago
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