How Debbie Conceived Despite Low AMH
Here’s what we know about AMH: It is secreted by primordial follicles in the ovaries. These are the tiny little follicles that are in their most early stage of development.
Female humans are born with around 500,000 primordial follicles (aka little tiny eggs sleeping inside their little shells).
The current prevailing scientific theory is that the more of these primordial follicles you have, the higher your AMH. The fewer primordial follicles you have, the lower your AMH.
Therefore, it is thought that low AMH correlates to low ovarian reserve – meaning that there aren’t a lot of follicles left.
But, here’s the thing – while there may be some truth to this in certain cases (where AMH may correlate to an actual low egg count) – AMH is NOT a fertility test.
More importantly, it’s not a test of egg quality, either.
True, many of the people who show up in fertility clinics have low AMH because they’re either over 35 and are naturally starting to run a little low on follicles OR they are under 35 and may have started off with fewer follicles than average for their age.
I’ve also seen cases where AMH increases dramatically after some of the key lifestyle changes that are recommended by Yin Studio. Which leads me to postulate that AMH may just be a snapshot in time of how active the ovaries are.
In other words, high AMH = the ovaries are more active. Low AMH = the ovaries are less active. Not “egg counts” per se, but simply how active the ovaries are in releasing those eggs into “production”.
Regardless, one thing I can tell you beyond any shadow of a doubt that low AMH does not equal low fertility.
Take the story of Debbie * – one I’ve seen play out many, many times over the last decade plus.
A 39-year-old teacher, Debbie came to me after trying to conceive for almost two years. She already had a son that was almost 6 years old at the time. Initially, she wasn’t in a hurry because she conceived easily at the age of 33 and figured things would be fine.
After the first year of trying to get pregnant, yet not conceiving, Debbie thought because of her age, getting pregnant this time around was going to take a little longer. She was concerned but not freaked out.
After the second year of not conceiving, she started to worry quite a bit and went to see her OB/GYN who ran an AMH test.
It came back at less than 0.16 – which for all purposes is “undetectable”. Her antral follicle count (the count of follicles seen on ultrasound at the beginning of her cycle) was also low.
She was shocked as the OB/GYN told her it looked bleak and she should consult a specialist right away because she’d probably need IVF.
Debbie decided to come see me first. She’d heard about me through a friend. Three months later, after having weekly treatments, she was pregnant. Nine months later she delivered a healthy baby boy at full term.
Why wasn’t she getting pregnant before? I have no idea, to be honest.
But I suspect based on what happened that her body was very, very close to conceiving – but her eggs were receiving just enough damage to be unviable.
However, with the simple things we did – including the lifestyle changes, easy dietary shifts, and key supplements – her body was able to make the extra little push it needed and a healthy egg, full of life, emerged.
So, while her AMH supposedly painted a bleak picture, the reality was anything but.
* Name changed for privacy reasons.
Why not book in for a Free 15 minute mini-consultation - Come in and spend some time talking about your health. Whether you decide to work with me or not, you will leave the session knowing that there are concrete things you can do to feel better on your own.
Cathy Bell, Doctor of Chinese Medicine, Registered Acupuncturist AHPRA
Yin Studio:
Founded in 2006 by Cathy Bell, Yin Studio has become a sought-after health and wellness clinic, known for its warm, inviting atmosphere and sincere, compassionate care for its patients.
Cathy Bell provides results-oriented, natural wellness care for people of all ages. Her goal with each patient is a long-term, self-sustained shift in core factors that determine health and wellness. These core factors bridge all levels of being — physical, psychological, even spiritual.
My mission is simple: To support YOUR health and goals, and help you make the most of them. Whether you want to complement your conventional medical treatments with natural support, or go with a 100% natural solution, I do my best to help you achieve the best outcome possible. Treatments are based on getting results as quickly and efficiently as possible. Results matter, and I am proud of a proven history of positive outcomes.
Your body’s natural healing intelligence never forgets how to restore balance and vitality to every cell, tissue, and organ. All you have to do is give it the right support. At Yin Studio you are an active participant in the healing process. You will be educated on the proper way to get your healing system back on track via a targeted, customised treatment plan that will include one or more of the following: acupuncture, nutrition, herbs, lifestyle/mind-body coaching.