SVT News has spoken to a number of doctors and researchers who testify that women who have tested their egg reserves with an AMH test have placed too much emphasis on the results. According to the doctors, the AMH value cannot say enough about a woman's chances of becoming pregnant when they do not measure the quality of the eggs. But the AMH value has nevertheless sailed up as a decisive factor for several women SVT News talked to, in how they plan to have children. Some tell how they chose to wait to have children in the belief that a high value was a greater guarantee of the chance of becoming pregnant. A number of doctors share that picture.
SVT News has reported on Lina who chose to raise children on her own after a traumatic message about her low AMH value, a value that had increased after a couple of years. SVT News speaks to Rebecca Engelbert, operations manager at Medisera, one of the companies offering AMH tests for women who want to test how many eggs they have.
- It is very unfortunate when it has such great consequences, it is clear that you will be sad when you hear it, she says.
She believes that the AMH value is used to give an indication of a woman's egg reserve and thus also an indication of fertility. At the same time, she is clear that it is important that you as a patient know that it does not give the whole picture.
- The blood analysis as such has a clinical value and something that can fulfill a function. You have to have confidence in people's ability to receive this information.
That they should seek further information themselves?
-Yes, or rather to seek medical advice if they have more questions about the test answers . We do not encourage self-diagnosis. We make no diagnoses. We cannot because we do not have the overall picture of the patient. It becomes incredibly important to be clear that it is a blood value in relation to the reference value that you get.
The test answers come with a comment from a doctor and if they differ, the doctor may recommend that you seek medical contact for further investigation, according to Rebecca Engelbert. The doctor will call the patient in case of severely different test answers.
According to doctors, the egg reserves can also be examined using an ultrasound. Why then should you take the test with you instead?
- There is nothing to prevent you from going to a gynecologist. I think we can offer a complement and an alternative where you can choose for yourself.
After SVT News pointed out that some information was unclear or directly incorrect on Medisera's site, the company changed the information about the AMH value. For example, it has been removed that the test can say something about the quality of the eggs and clarified that the pill can affect the results of the test.
- I am grateful to you for asking these questions and alerting us that we can be more nuanced, says Rebecca Engelbert.