Researchers have raised alarms over the widespread promotion of the anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) test as a reliable predictor of fertility for women, cautioning that it often leads to misguided health decisions. The test, which measures levels of AMH linked to ovarian follicle count, is commonly used in fertility clinics to estimate the number of eggs available for procedures like IVF or egg freezing. However, experts emphasize that it does not reliably predict individual fertility outcomes, egg health, or menopausal age, and can yield inaccurate results.
Dr. Tessa Copp from the University of Sydney’s school of public health expressed concern over the exaggerated claims surrounding the test’s utility. She highlighted instances where women, influenced by misleading advertisements, made significant life choices based on flawed interpretations of their AMH test results. Copp recounted cases where young women altered their family planning timelines prematurely due to misconceptions about their fertility status derived from the test.
“We wanted to gauge whether informed consent about the test’s limitations would impact women’s interest in undergoing it,” Copp explained. In a study involving 967 women aged 25 to 40 from Australia and the Netherlands, researchers distributed evidence-based pamphlets outlining the AMH test’s drawbacks to one group, while the other received pamphlets typical of consumer-directed promotion. The results indicated that women who received factual information were significantly less inclined to consider undergoing the test compared to those exposed to standard promotional materials.
Published in the journal Human Reproduction, the study underscores the importance of providing women with accurate, evidence-based information to guide their health decisions. Copp stressed the need for regulatory bodies to ensure fertility clinics adhere to ethical standards and provide transparent, truthful information about the AMH test.
Professor Susan Davis from Monash University, an expert in women’s health, echoed these concerns, emphasizing that while the AMH test can aid in assisted reproduction scenarios, its arbitrary use as an overall fertility indicator could be misleading.
The researchers’ findings have prompted calls for stricter oversight of how fertility clinics advertise and utilize the AMH test. As concerns grow, regulatory bodies are urged to intervene to prevent misinformation and protect women’s health decisions.
Guardian Australia has reached out to the Therapeutic Goods Administration for comment on the matter.
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