TY - JOUR
T1 - Ovarian antral follicle subclasses and anti-mullerian hormone during normal reproductive aging
AU - Bentzen, J G
AU - Forman, J L
AU - Johannsen, T H
AU - Pinborg, A
AU - Larsen, E C
AU - Andersen, A Nyboe
PY - 2013/4
Y1 - 2013/4
N2 - Context: The interindividual variation in the age-related decline of ovarian follicles is wide. Hence, it is important to identify reliable, sensitive, and specific markers to assess the ovarian reserve of the individual woman. Objective: The aim of this study was to characterize the relation between age and ovarian reserve parameters in a population of healthy women with regular menstrual cycle. Design and Setting: We conducted a prospective, population-based, cross-sectional study. Participants: A total of 366 health care workers aged 21-41 years employed at a University Hospital were included. Interventions: There were no interventions. Main Outcome Measures: Serum anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) concentration, antral follicle count (AFC), antral follicle size categories (small: 2-4 mm; intermediate: 5-7 mm; and large: 8-10 mm), and ovarian volume were measured. Results: Serum AMH level declined by 5.6% peryear (95% confidence interval 3.7-7.4%, P < .001), AFC (2-10 mm) declined by 4.4% per year (3.2-5.7%, P < .001), and ovarian volume declined by 1.1% per year (0.2-2.0, P = .002), respectively. The mean proportion of small follicles decreased with age (P= .04), the proportion of intermediate follicles displayed no significant change with age (P = .58), and the mean proportion of large follicles increased with age (P < .001). The prevalence of large follicles increased with decreasing serum AMH concentration [odds ratio 1.04 per 1 pmol/L (1.02-1.06), P < .001, area underthe curve 0.66], and with decreasing total AFC [odds ratio 1.04 per follicle (1.02-1.05), P < .001, area under the curve 0.62]. Conclusion: Chronological age was inversely related to serum AMH concentration, total AFC, and ovarian volume. Subclasses of AFC sized 2-4 and 5-7 mm decreased with increasing age, whereas AFC sized 8-10 mm increased with increasing age. Within AFC, a shift toward larger follicles with increasing age was observed. The occurrence of large follicles was more strongly related to biological age in terms of AMH and AFC than chronological age.
AB - Context: The interindividual variation in the age-related decline of ovarian follicles is wide. Hence, it is important to identify reliable, sensitive, and specific markers to assess the ovarian reserve of the individual woman. Objective: The aim of this study was to characterize the relation between age and ovarian reserve parameters in a population of healthy women with regular menstrual cycle. Design and Setting: We conducted a prospective, population-based, cross-sectional study. Participants: A total of 366 health care workers aged 21-41 years employed at a University Hospital were included. Interventions: There were no interventions. Main Outcome Measures: Serum anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) concentration, antral follicle count (AFC), antral follicle size categories (small: 2-4 mm; intermediate: 5-7 mm; and large: 8-10 mm), and ovarian volume were measured. Results: Serum AMH level declined by 5.6% peryear (95% confidence interval 3.7-7.4%, P < .001), AFC (2-10 mm) declined by 4.4% per year (3.2-5.7%, P < .001), and ovarian volume declined by 1.1% per year (0.2-2.0, P = .002), respectively. The mean proportion of small follicles decreased with age (P= .04), the proportion of intermediate follicles displayed no significant change with age (P = .58), and the mean proportion of large follicles increased with age (P < .001). The prevalence of large follicles increased with decreasing serum AMH concentration [odds ratio 1.04 per 1 pmol/L (1.02-1.06), P < .001, area underthe curve 0.66], and with decreasing total AFC [odds ratio 1.04 per follicle (1.02-1.05), P < .001, area under the curve 0.62]. Conclusion: Chronological age was inversely related to serum AMH concentration, total AFC, and ovarian volume. Subclasses of AFC sized 2-4 and 5-7 mm decreased with increasing age, whereas AFC sized 8-10 mm increased with increasing age. Within AFC, a shift toward larger follicles with increasing age was observed. The occurrence of large follicles was more strongly related to biological age in terms of AMH and AFC than chronological age.
KW - Adult
KW - Age Distribution
KW - Aging
KW - Algorithms
KW - Anti-Mullerian Hormone
KW - Cell Count
KW - Cross-Sectional Studies
KW - Female
KW - Humans
KW - Menstrual Cycle
KW - Organ Size
KW - Ovarian Follicle
KW - Ovary
KW - Reproduction
KW - Young Adult
U2 - 10.1210/jc.2012-1829
DO - 10.1210/jc.2012-1829
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 23463653
SN - 0021-972X
VL - 98
SP - 1602
EP - 1611
JO - The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism
JF - The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism
IS - 4
ER -