Antimüllerian hormone levels are strongly associated with live-birth rates after assisted reproduction

Abstract

Context: Previous studies have suggested that antimüllerian hormone (AMH) levels are positively associated with in vitro fertilization (IVF) outcome through their relationship with oocyte yield and not by reflecting oocyte or embryo quality.

Objective: The aim was to investigate whether AMH levels are associated with pregnancy and live-birth rates and whether the results may also reflect qualitative aspects of oocytes and embryos.

Design: The study was a prospective cohort study between April 2008 and June 2011.

Setting: The study was done at a university-affiliated private infertility center.

Patients: The study cohort consisted of 892 consecutive women undergoing 1230 IVF-intracytoplasmic sperm injection cycles.

Intervention(s): AMH levels, analyzed using the DSL ELISA kit, were statistically adjusted for repeated treatments and age and analyzed for associations with treatment outcome.

Main outcome measures: Pregnancy rates, live-birth rates, and stimulation outcome parameters were measured.

Results: AMH was log-normally distributed with a mean (SD) of 2.3 (2.5) ng/mL. Live-birth rates per started cycle (mean [95% confidence interval]) increased log-linearly from 10.7% [7.2-14.1] for AMH < 0.84 ng/mL (25th percentile) to 30.8% [25.7-36.0] for AMH > 2.94 ng/mL (75th percentile), Ptrend < .0001, being superior in women with polycystic ovaries. These findings were significant also after adjustments were made for age and oocyte yield. AMH was also associated with ovarian response variables and embryo scores.

Conclusions: AMH is strongly associated with live-birth rates after IVF-intracytoplasmic sperm injection. AMH may therefore serve as a prognostic factor for the chance of a pregnancy and live birth. Treatment outcome was superior in patients with polycystic ovaries. The findings also indicate that AMH may partially comprise information about oocyte quality.