Websites Selling Direct-to-Consumer Anti-Mullerian Hormone Tests.
Level 4 - case-series / case-control
Cross-sectional qualitative content analysis of commercial websites (graded by design analogy)
PubMed 37603332 · doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.30192
What was done
Researchers conducted a qualitative content analysis of text on commercial websites selling direct-to-consumer (DTC) anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) tests. The top 50 search results from 4 search queries were collected and screened in March 2022, and analyzed from April 2022 to July 2023 using an inductive thematic approach focusing on accuracy, quality, tone, and promotional framing.
What was found
A total of 27 websites across 7 countries were analyzed. Test descriptions were present on 25 websites (93%). Regarding capability claims, 26 websites (96%) stated the test indicates ovarian reserve, and 20 (74%) claimed it indicates the likelihood of conceiving. Regarding clinical utility, 11 websites (41%) claimed it enables women to adjust their reproductive timeline, and 8 (30%) claimed it determines whether egg freezing is viable. Marketing tactics included emphasizing convenience (24 websites [89%]) and using empowerment or control messaging (7 websites [26%]). Test limitations were rarely fully disclosed: 13 websites (48%) noted polycystic ovary syndrome can falsely elevate AMH levels, and only 9 (33%) stated the test cannot accurately predict conception chances.
Why it matters
Direct-to-consumer marketing frequently overstates the predictive power of AMH testing for natural conception, potentially causing inappropriate reassurance, misplaced anxiety, or misguided family-planning decisions.
Limits
The sample was limited to 27 websites identified through a single search snapshot in March 2022, which may miss newer or regionally specific vendors. The study assessed written marketing content only and did not directly measure consumer comprehension, purchasing behavior, or clinical downstream harms.
Cited by
- context An out-of-pocket AMH blood test costs $79.