Jazmine
October 13, 2026
Anti-Müllerian hormone, or AMH, is one of the first lab results a fertility doctor looks at, both for people planning IVF and for women applying to donate eggs. The number gives a rough picture of how many eggs the ovaries have in reserve, but it is easy to read too much into it.
If you have an AMH result in hand or a blood draw coming up, this guide explains what AMH levels mean, what counts as normal for your age, why egg donation programs test it early, and what a low or high number does and does not say about your own fertility.
The short answer
AMH levels reflect how many small follicles, and so how many potential eggs, your ovaries have in reserve, and they decline with age.
For egg donors, AMH helps doctors predict how you will respond to stimulation medications. It does not measure egg quality or predict whether you can get pregnant naturally.
What are AMH levels?
AMH levels measure the amount of anti-Müllerian hormone in your blood, a hormone made by the cells around small, early-stage follicles in the ovaries. Each of those follicles holds an immature egg, so a higher AMH generally points to more follicles and a larger egg supply, which doctors call ovarian reserve.1
A high AMH suggests more eggs available, a low AMH suggests a smaller supply, and a high level can be one sign of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).1 What AMH cannot tell you is anything about the health of your eggs or whether you will be able to get pregnant.1
The American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) calls AMH and antral follicle count (the number of small follicles seen on ultrasound) the simplest, most sensitive and specific measures of ovarian reserve available today.2
What is a normal AMH level by age?
A normal AMH level falls within a wide range and drops as you get older. Reference ranges vary by laboratory and testing method, so always compare your result with the range printed on your own lab report. As one example, here are the default female reference ranges used by the University of Washington's hospital laboratory:3
| Age | AMH reference range (ng/mL) |
|---|---|
| 20 to 24 | 1.20 to 12.00 |
| 25 to 29 | 0.89 to 9.90 |
| 30 to 34 | 0.58 to 8.10 |
| 35 to 39 | 0.15 to 7.50 |
| 40 to 44 | 0.03 to 5.50 |
In a study of 17,120 women tested at U.S. fertility centers, median AMH values declined steadily as age increased.4 That is one reason egg donor programs favor younger donors. Donor Nexus accepts applicants ages 19 to 30, and women in their early 30s are considered case by case, usually proven donors who have donated before. Our post on the egg donor age limit covers the details.
What AMH level do you need to be an egg donor?
There is no single AMH cutoff for egg donation, because each fertility doctor sets their own criteria. In our experience, many physicians who work with egg donors look for an AMH around 2.0 ng/mL or higher, and they weigh it alongside your age, an ultrasound follicle count and your overall health.
Doctors care about AMH because it predicts how many eggs a stimulation cycle is likely to produce. ASRM notes that AMH and follicle counts are good predictors of egg yield and of both poor and excessive response to fertility medications.2 A donor with a healthy ovarian reserve gives intended parents a better chance of having several embryos to work with. Across Donor Nexus fresh cycles from 2012 to 2025, donors averaged 28.9 eggs retrieved and 22.6 mature eggs per retrieval.
A high AMH is not automatically better. Because it can signal a strong response to medications, your doctor may adjust your dosing and monitor you closely to lower the risk of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS).
How is AMH tested?
An AMH test is a simple blood draw, and you do not need to fast or prepare for it.1 You also do not need to time it to your period. ASRM notes that AMH stays relatively consistent within and between menstrual cycles, so the test can be done on any day.2
At Donor Nexus, AMH is usually one of the first tests new egg donors complete, because many doctors want the result before a donor moves forward. Donors typically go to a Labcorp location, and results come back in about 5 to 7 days. AMH is one part of the larger egg donor screening process, which also includes a medical exam, genetic testing and a psychological evaluation.
What can lower your AMH level?
Age is the biggest factor, and hormonal birth control is the most common temporary one. ASRM advises that AMH may be lower in women currently using hormonal contraceptives and that results in those patients should be interpreted with caution.2
If your AMH comes back lower than expected and you use the pill, patch, ring or another hormonal method, your doctor may ask you to take a break from it and retest a few months later. You never need to change your contraception without talking to your own provider first. Our guide to donating eggs while on birth control explains how different methods fit into a donation cycle.
Does a low AMH mean you cannot get pregnant?
A low AMH does not mean you are infertile, and a high AMH does not guarantee a pregnancy. ASRM states that markers of ovarian reserve are poor independent predictors of reproductive potential and should not be used as a fertility test.2 In one large study of women ages 30 to 44 trying to conceive naturally, those with a low AMH (under 0.7 ng/mL) were no less likely to conceive within 6 or 12 months than women with normal values.5
If your AMH is low and you are not on hormonal birth control, it is a good idea to talk with your gynecologist about what the result means for your own family planning. For questions about donation and your fertility later on, read if I donate my eggs, can I still have babies?
How AMH fits into becoming an egg donor
AMH is a helpful early checkpoint for you and for the program. Finding out your ovarian reserve before medications start means you do not go through weeks of screening only to learn a cycle is unlikely to work, and you walk away with useful information about your own reproductive health either way.
Our team is with you from application through retrieval, so you always know who to ask about a test result or your next step. You can learn more about eligibility on our become an egg donor page or see what else is checked during egg donor screening.
You don't need to know your AMH level before you apply. When you're ready, you can start your egg donor application online and we'll take it from there.
Frequently asked questions
What is a normal AMH level?
It depends on your age and the lab. One U.S. hospital lab lists a reference range of 0.89 to 9.90 ng/mL for women ages 25 to 29, and ranges shift lower with each age group after that.
Do you need to be on your period for an AMH test?
No. ASRM notes that AMH stays relatively consistent within and between menstrual cycles, so the blood draw can be done on any day, with no special preparation.
Can birth control lower your AMH level?
It can, since ASRM says AMH may be lower in women currently using hormonal contraception, and results should be read with that in mind. If your level is borderline, your doctor may retest after a break from hormonal birth control.
Does a low AMH mean I am infertile?
No, ASRM states that ovarian reserve markers like AMH predict how many eggs a stimulation cycle may produce, but they are poor predictors of natural fertility and should not be used as a fertility test.
What AMH level do you need to donate eggs?
Each fertility doctor sets their own cutoff, but many physicians who work with egg donors look for an AMH around 2.0 ng/mL or higher, along with an ultrasound follicle count and your age.
Sources
- MedlinePlus. Anti-müllerian hormone test. U.S. National Library of Medicine. medlineplus.gov
- Practice Committee of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Testing and interpreting measures of ovarian reserve: a committee opinion. Fertility and Sterility. 2020;114:1151-1157. asrm.org
- UW Medicine Laboratory Medicine and Pathology. Anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) test guide, reference ranges. testguide.labmed.uw.edu
- Seifer DB, Baker VL, Leader B. Age-specific serum anti-Müllerian hormone values for 17,120 women presenting to fertility centers within the United States. Fertility and Sterility. 2011;95(2):747-750. fertstert.org
- Steiner AZ, Pritchard D, Stanczyk FZ, et al. Association between biomarkers of ovarian reserve and infertility among older women of reproductive age. JAMA. 2017;318(14):1367-1376. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Medical disclaimer
This article is general information about AMH testing and is not medical advice. Your lab's reference range and your doctor's interpretation of your result are what count, so talk with your doctor about your own numbers.
California egg donor disclosure
Egg donation involves a screening process. Not all potential egg donors are selected. Not all selected egg donors receive the monetary amounts or compensation advertised. As with any medical procedure, there may be risks associated with human egg donation. Before an egg donor agrees to begin the egg donation process, and signs a legally binding contract, she is required to receive specific information on the known risks of egg donation. Consultation with your doctor prior to entering into a donor contract is advised.
Related reading
Jazmine
Jazmine is a Case Manager at Donor Nexus, where for the past three years she has coordinated cycles for both egg donors and intended parents. She knows this journey personally as well, having completed five egg…
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