AMH, Androgens, and Other Updates About the Causes of PCOS
Several major news outlets posted recently that high AMH (Anti-Müllerian hormone) during pregnancy is what causes PCOS.
Needless to say, I’ve received a *lot* of questions about this, mainly because years ago, I wrote about the increased levels of AMH in women with PCOS. It’s a hormone level I test in my patients consistently, and the topic as a whole is really interesting to me.
What the study found (basically) is that women with PCOS have higher levels of AMH in pregnancy, and administering AMH injections to pregnant mice often induces PCOS in their offspring.
The study also found that administering a commonly used IVF drug (cetrotelex) to the pregnant animals – as well as later in life – could reverse these effects.
Many women celebrated when these news outlets asserted that finally, the cause of (and cure for) PCOS has been found. Of course they did: it’s exciting to read a headline like this, especially when so many women struggle with the condition!
That said, after reading the study in its entirety, it’s clear that what the media reported is not actually what the researchers concluded… as is so often the case.
The findings shared in the study are very exciting overall, but before we get led down the rabbit hole of headlines, let’s take a look at the facts.
