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IVF results in patients with very low serum AMH are significantly affected by chronological age

  • Assisted Reproduction Technologies
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Abstract

Purpose

The aims of this study were to assess the outcome of in vitro fertilization (IVF) in women with very low circulating anti-müllerian hormone (AMH) and to investigate factors affecting their probability of pregnancy.

Methods

The outcome of 448 IVF cycles in 361 women with circulating AMH <0.5 ng/ml was retrospectively analyzed.

Results

Cycle cancellation rate was 14.5 %; patients whose cycle was cancelled had significantly lower AMH than women who reached oocyte pickup (OPU). Among those who reached OPU, age significantly affected the success rate: despite comparable AMH levels, patients below 35 years obtained significantly more oocytes and a better clinical pregnancy rate (CPR)/OPU than patients aged 35–39 or 40–43 (31 % vs. 23.2 % vs. 10.2 %, respectively; p = 0.001). Differently, comparable IVF results were observed stratifying patients for AMH levels in the range 0.14–0.49 ng/ml. Multivariable logistic regression analysis confirmed that the probability of pregnancy was significantly affected by age, but not by small differences in AMH level.

Conclusions

Women with very low (<0.5 ng/ml) AMH levels undergoing IVF still have reasonable chances of achieving a pregnancy, but their prognosis is significantly affected by chronological age. Very low AMH levels are associated with a relevant risk of cycle cancellation but should not be considered a reason to exclude a couple from IVF.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Gynecology and Obstetrics I, Physiopathology of Reproduction and IVF Unit, S. Anna Hospital, Department of Surgical Sciences, University of Torino, Torino, Italy

    Alberto Revelli, Valentina Biasoni, Gianluca Gennarelli, Stefano Canosa & Chiara Benedetto

  2. Medical Statistics Unit, Department of Public Health and Microbiology, University of Torino, Torino, Italy

    Paola Dalmasso

Authors
  1. Alberto Revelli
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  2. Valentina Biasoni
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  3. Gianluca Gennarelli
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  4. Stefano Canosa
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  5. Paola Dalmasso
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  6. Chiara Benedetto
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Alberto Revelli.

Additional information

Capsule: Women with very low (<0.5 ng/ml) AMH levels undergoing IVF have an increased risk of cycle cancellation, and their prognosis is significantly affected by chronological age.

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Revelli, A., Biasoni, V., Gennarelli, G. et al. IVF results in patients with very low serum AMH are significantly affected by chronological age. J Assist Reprod Genet 33, 603–609 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-016-0675-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-016-0675-7

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