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Semin Reprod Med 2020; 38(04/05): 263-269
DOI: 10.1055/s-0040-1722319
Review Article

Anti-Müllerian Hormone in the Diagnosis and Prediction of Premature Ovarian Insufficiency

Richard A. Anderson 
1   MRC Centre for Reproductive Health, Queen's Medical Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
,
Scott M. Nelson
2   School of Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
3   NIHR Bristol Biomedical Research Centre, Bristol, United Kingdom
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Abstract

The menopause and its pathological version, premature ovarian insufficiency (POI), are characterized by the cessation of follicle growth in the ovary, with consequent lack of estrogen production and amenorrhea. The measurement of a specific product of ovarian follicles would therefore be expected to be a valuable biomarker in women with POI, and to be of likely clinical value in the diagnosis and perhaps prediction of POI. Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) is produced by the granulosa cells of growing follicles and is therefore likely to be of value in this context. Current data indicate that measurement of AMH is an accurate indicator of POI in many situations and has diagnostic validity and may facilitate more timely diagnosis. AMH seems to be of limited value in predicting age at natural menopause, even with multiple measurements, and there are scarce data regarding prediction of POI, other than when it is imminent, and in some contexts where there is an immediate iatrogenic threat to ovarian function. AMH therefore appears to have considerable value as a diagnostic test for POI, but apart from highlighting broadly those at increased risk, it has inadequate precision to be able to predict accurately the timing of onset of impending POI.

Keywords

AMH - ovarian reserve - POI - menopause - biomarker

Competing Interests

No funding bodies have any role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. R.A.A. has participated in advisory boards and received speakers or consultancy fees from Roche Diagnostics, Ferring, IBSA, Merck, KaNDy Therapeutics, and Sojournix Inc. S.M.N. has participated in advisory boards and received speakers or consultancy fees from Access Fertility, Beckman Coulter, Ferring, Finox, Merck, MSD, Roche Diagnostics, and The Fertility Partnership.




Publication History

Article published online:
11 January 2021

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