Breast Cancer Risk Factors: Anti-Müllerian Hormone (AMH) Levels

Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) is produced in the ovaries. It’s important in the development of reproductive organs. AMH is a marker of ovarian reserve (the number of eggs a woman has left in her ovaries), which helps show a woman’s fertility potential.

Blood levels of AMH peak around age 20-25, then decline as a woman gets closer to menopause [28]. After menopause, AMH is no longer detectable [28].

Premenopausal women with higher blood levels of AMH may have a higher risk of breast cancer (both before and after menopause) compared to women of the same age with lower levels of AMH [28-31].

Learn about other factors linked to the risk of breast cancer.

Why might AMH blood levels be related to breast cancer risk?

Higher AMH levels may reflect some reproductive events or lifetime exposure to hormones. For example, premenopausal women with higher blood levels of AMH at a given age are more likely to have a later age at menopause than those with lower AMH levels [32].

Having a later age at menopause is linked to an increased risk of breast cancer [12-13,17,19,23]. This increased risk is likely due, at least in part, to the amount of estrogen a woman is exposed to in her life. A higher lifetime exposure to estrogen is related to an increased breast cancer risk [22].

SUSAN G. KOMEN®‘S BREAST SELF-AWARENESS MESSAGES

1. Know your risk Talk with both sides of your family to learn about your family health history. Talk with a health care provider about your risk of breast cancer. 2. Get screened Talk with a health care provider about which screening tests are right for you if you’re at higher risk. Have a mammogram every year starting at age 40 if you’re at average risk.* Have a clinical breast exam at least every 3 years starting at age 25, and every year starting at age 40.* * Per National Comprehensive Cancer Network Guidelines 3. Know what is normal for you See a health care provider if you notice any of these breast changes: Lump, hard knot or thickening inside the breast or underarm area Swelling, warmth, redness or darkening of the breast Change in the size or shape of the breast Dimpling or puckering of the skin Itchy, scaly sore or rash on the nipple Pulling in of the nipple or other parts of the breast Nipple discharge that starts suddenly New pain in one spot that doesn’t go away To see illustrations of these warning signs, please visit the Warning Signs of Breast Cancer page. 4. Make healthy lifestyle choices Maintain a healthy weight. Make exercise part of your routine. Limit alcohol intake. Limit menopausal hormone therapy (postmenopausal hormone use). Breastfeed if you can.

Updated 12/16/24

This content is regularly reviewed by an expert panel including researchers, practicing clinicians and patient advocates.