Indian women are high on stress, low on AMH

Women who are struggling to conceive, have irregular periods, or planning to delay pregnancy should get an AMH test

- Tanisha Saxena [e-mail]

Doctors in fertility clinics across India—from buzzing metros to smaller tier-2 and tier-3 cities—are observing a startling pattern: a significant number of young women, even those in their late twenties and early thirties, are presenting with alarmingly low anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) levels, a key marker of ovarian reserve. This phenomenon, once primarily associated with women in their 40s, now appears to be afflicting women a decade earlier, quietly reshaping the reproductive health landscape of the country.

"We're seeing a clear downward trend in AMH levels even among women under 35," says Dr Rita Modi, senior IVF consultant at Motherhood Fertility & IVF, Kharghar, Navi Mumbai. "And it's no longer restricted to urban India. The trend is equally concerning in smaller towns."

AMH, a hormone secreted by cells in developing ovarian follicles, is a critical indicator of a woman's egg supply. A drop in this value suggests a diminished ovarian reserve, reducing the chances of natural conception and often foreshadowing challenges with assisted reproductive techniques as well. Dr Angeli Misra, director of Lifeline Laboratory, Agilus Diagnostics in Delhi, confirms this trend with empirical data: "The total number of AMH tests conducted pan-India in our centres annually is 4,700. There is definitely a noticeable rise in AMH tests being done in women under 35. This trend is mainly seen in metros and among young professionals who are starting their careers."

THE AGEING OVARY PARADOX