The 'egg timer test' is being sold as a way for women to decide when to have a baby. But experts say it can be misleading

25 July

A so-called egg timer test — which gives an indication of how many eggs a woman has left — told Anneline Padayachee she was sterile at 35.

The test, often used in IVF treatment, measures the level of anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) in a woman's blood to estimate her ovarian reserve.

Increasingly it's being spruiked as a way for women to decide when to have a baby, even if they aren't thinking of having one any time soon.

Anneline's AMH level was low, which she said her GP told her meant she was infertile.

"She's like, basically, you can't have kids. I felt like I was punched in my stomach," Anneline, who is a nutrition scientist in Brisbane, said.

"I don't think I functioned for a good three days straight."

Amy Laslett

Don’t believe the hype. ‘Egg timer’ tests can’t reliably predict your chance of conceiving or menopause timing