Is AMH really that important?
Labs can tell us a lot about what’s going on in your body and what things we need to target to optimize your fertility and increase your chances of a healthy baby…
With my private clients, I always start with labs, they give us all the data we need to address any challenges your body might experience!
But there’s one lab that is usually inflated with hype, especially if you’re in your mid to late 30s or working with fertility clinics.
Yes, you guessed it! I’m talking about the infamous Anti-Mullerian Hormone (AMH) AMH.
But what does science say?…
Recent research tells us that AMH is not a reliable predictor of getting pregnant. Yet, it is still used to put the fear of god into women who are struggling to conceive…
When I see low or high AMH I simply do one thing: dig deeper and learn why the body is having trouble supporting follicle development.
There’s a variety of factors that can impact AMH:
Inflammation
Thyroid function
Nutrient status
Adrenal health (stress response/ability to adapt to stress)
Insulin & blood sugar balance
Gut health
I don’t put much weight on AMH because it really doesn’t tell us why you are having trouble conceiving and… it is not set in stone.
What AMH really tells us is whether your body is having trouble supporting follicle development or not.
AMH is a hormone that is produced by developing follicles in a female and is used to determine the number of eggs you have in an early stage of development.
The more mature eggs become, the less AMH they produce.
AMH is a hormone and, like every other hormone, can change.
Read that again.
Your doctor likely didn’t share this, and there’s a good chance they don’t know this due to their training/background.
If your body doesn’t feel safe or doesn’t have the resources to support follicle development, your AMH is more likely to be lower than expected.
What if your values are higher than expected?
If you have PCOS you are likely to have elevated AMH since you have a high number of young follicles that are having trouble fully maturing and ovulating consistently, this is when cysts or the string of pearls are typically seen.
Are you feeling pressured into fertility treatment due to your age or your AMH level?
Forget everything you’ve been told and let’s just look at the facts!
Fact #1: Age is NOT the only factor impacting your fertility
Your fertility slightly dips at 35, it doesn’t jump off a cliff. It declines further at 40, but even then, the quality is more important than the number left.
Fact #2: Your nutrition, lifestyle and environment play a HUGE role in fertility
And they are major areas we have control over!
Learning how to use changes in these areas to work with your body is a game changer & why 87% of my clients take home healthy babies even after years of heartache.
(yes, every time I do the math, I do a little dance and still cannot believe how wonderful my job is!)
Fact #3: Supporting mitochondria function can slow the aging of ovarian function & support fertility as we grow older!
You can be as fertile in your late 30s and 40s as you were in your 20s! Especially if you spent your 20s chugging down coffee, eating the same amount of calories a toddler needs and sleeping 4 hours per night (cause FOMO was high back then)!
And before you buy into the “miraculous” new trend out there, please remember there is much more to this than popping a supplement or 12.
Nutrition & lifestyle are significant factors here. And you’re here to learn how!
Fact #4: AMH does not determine the quality of your eggs
And contrary to what you’ve been told, AMH is also a poor indicator of the number of eggs left.
It’s really only a good predictor of response to IVF, NOT natural conception. It can be an indicator of how many eggs you can expect to get at your next retrieval.
But it doesn’t tell you much more.
And remember: you only need one healthy egg for one healthy baby!
Fact #5: Research shows that preconception care matters
If your doctor has told you there’s nothing you can do about egg quality…
Know that’s total BS!
I could show you an abundance of messages from my clients saying they just had their miracle baby after they were told they couldn’t improve their egg quality…
Supporting egg quality for a minimum of 3-4 months before conception or retrieval improves the chances of a healthy baby.
And I’m not talking about pregnancy rates, I’m talking about live birth rates!
(Make sure your doctor is too when talking about success rates)
If it doesn’t feel like your support team has your best interest in mind or like they aren’t listening to you or your concerns, it’s okay to take a step back.
Actually, let me rephrase that.
If your doctor or fertility specialist isn’t willing to support you and listen to your concerns, if you feel pressured or rushed to take steps you’re not ready to take, it is cool to fire your doctor.
They may have exerted the tools in their toolbox, and that’s okay.
Look for the tools you need elsewhere.
Fertility treatments are hard enough, you don’t need anyone or anything to make them even harder.
You know your body, listen to your intuition.
And always remember: one number doesn’t determine your value as a woman or your destiny.
