A Complete Guide On How Anti-Mullerian Hormone Predicts Menopause

Menopause is a less-spoken and neglected reality of life that is still an undeciphered mystery to many women. Menopause is a midlife condition which marks the end of the menstrual period or female reproductive lifespan, usually at the age of 40-60 years.¹  It is the permanent termination of periods after 12 continuous months due to a decrease in estrogen hormone.² This event indicates the reducing number of eggs left in the ovaries which is known as ovarian reserve.³

As the number of eggs decreases in the ovary, the chances of fertility become less. It is interesting to know that the egg count reduces drastically as a woman reaches her menopause,⁴ which may invite many health conditions like an increased risk of heart disease, bone weakening etc.² Thus, it becomes crucial to find a marker to predict the onset of menopause to stay prepared for the upcoming challenges. Studies have confirmed that AMH or Anti-Mullerian Hormone predicts menopause and it is an emerging yet very reliable marker to estimate the onset of the final menstrual period in women.⁵

But, before knowing how AMH can help us here, let us learn about menopause.

Are You Heading To Menopause?

If you are in your late forties, then you may be facing or about to face specific symptoms of menopause which are known as perimenopause period.⁵ It is a period which begins with irregularity in periods and ends with one year of no menses.⁵  The symptoms may vary from one woman to another, but the progression of hormone changes generally marks it. 

As women grow older, their ovarian follicles diminish in number. There is a decline in granulosa cells of the ovary, which are the primary producers of fertility hormones like estradiol and inhibin. With the decrease in these hormones, FSH and LH increase which results in failure of endometrium lining (innermost lining of the uterus, which grows thick during the menstrual cycle) shedding, thus causing irregular menstrual cycles.²  These hormones are used as a marker to check the number of remaining eggs in the ovary. Please note that studies have shown that apart from FSH and LH, there is another and very effective marker in predicting declining fertility.⁶ Let us learn about it in the next section.

Anti-Mullerian Hormone (AMH)

AMH or Anti-Mullerian Hormone, has emerged as a reliable biomarker in predicting the number of eggs in the ovaries.⁶ It plays a crucial role in the development of female reproductive organs. It is produced by granulosa cells of small follicles in the ovary.⁷ It is to be noted that there is a gradual increase in the AMH level in girls from the first day of life with the levels reaching their maximum as the woman nears the age of 25 years.⁸ Also, as the woman approaches menopause, the AMH levels gradually decrease and eventually become undetectable.⁷ 

In women, this hormone appears to regulate two steps in the process of egg development. Firstly, AMH stops the formation of primordial follicles, which contain the eggs in the ovaries. Secondly, it decreases the eggs production by lowering sensitivity of small antral follicles (small, fluid-filled sac inside ovaries containing immature eggs) to FSH.⁷ In brief, AMH is a crucial hormone that modulates the production and maturation of eggs. Thus, the reduced levels of AMH indicate the decreasing number of eggs in the ovary.⁷ It is therefore, a direct biomarker of aging ovaries.

Also, there is negligible fluctuation in AMH levels as the women ages.⁷ So, due to its stable levels, AMH is considered a reliable and a better indicator than hormones like FSH and Estradiol for fertility.⁷ Apart from predicting fertility, AMH is now used as a marker to indicate the perimenopause or period before the end of women fertility. Let us understand how Anti-Mullerian Hormone predicts menopause and can be a game changer for older women nearing perimenopause.

Anti-Mullerian Hormone- The Emerging Marker To Predict Menopause

The periods in women may stop between the age of 40 and 60 years, but the age of 51 years is considered as the last menstrual period.⁷ However; the natural fertility starts declining 10-13 years before menopause, known as perimenopause period.⁷  Also, the number of eggs decreases below several thousand which further decreases to 1000 or below till menopause.⁸ Thus, there was a need for the biochemical or hormonal marker to determine or predict the onset of menopause.

Early prediction of menopause can also help in the early detection & treatment of diseases associated with it, like osteoporosis (weakening of bones), heart disorders and breast or endometrial cancer.⁷ So, let us learn about how the AMH level can help us out.

How Can Anti-Mullerian Hormone Predict Menopause?

The parameters like ovarian volume (size of ovaries) and a number of antral follicles (small, fluid-filled sac inside ovary containing immature eggs) indirectly indicate the time of menopause and are correlated with AMH levels. AMH is a better predictor than FSH and inhibin B hormones as their value decreases earlier, approximately 5 years before menopause.⁷ Thus, it becomes crucial to get the AMH levels tested to predict the perimenopausal period and stay armed for the upcoming challenges post-menopause. Now let us understand how you can test your AMH levels.

What Is An AMH Test?

You can test your AMH level with ‘Lifecell’s at-home self-collection perimenopause kit’. AMH is an FDA cleared blood test to determine time to Final Menstrual Period (FMP).

It uses advanced technology to detect three specific hormones which affect your transition into menopause. It identifies Anti-Mullerian Hormone (AMH), TSH (Thyroid stimulating hormone) and fT4 (Free thyroxine) to help women understand whether the symptoms they experience are due to perimenopause or underlying thyroid condition. Now that we have understood how AMH can predict perimenopause, let us learn about how the Lifecell at-home self-collection test works.

How Does The Test Kit Work?

With Lifecell’s Perimenopause at-home self-collection kit, you can quickly get your AMH level tested in just 3 days. You just need to order your kit online and follow the instructions to collect the sample from the comfort and privacy of your home. What is interesting here is that you can receive your expert-reviewed reports on your personalized dashboard. Additionally, you can schedule a virtual consultation with LifeCell’s medical experts to understand your results better and discuss the treatment roadmap.

Concluding Remarks

Through this article, we have seen that Anti-Mullerian Hormone predicts menopause. It is a reliable marker to detect perimenopausal symptoms. Therefore, it becomes crucial for women in their late forties to get tested to know the root causes of the symptoms they experience while nearing menopause. LifeCell’s Perimenopause at-home self-collection kit is a one-stop solution. It eliminates the possibility of whether the symptoms are due to perimenopause or is simply associated with a thyroid disorder, as in most cases, these symptoms tend to overlap. Thus, testing the AMH levels also alarms you about the onset of medical conditions associated with it. So, hurry up and take the right steps for your health at the right time.