Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2023 Feb 7;16(1):34.
doi: 10.1186/s13048-023-01112-6.

Clinical characteristics and risk factors of ovarian reserve decreases in women with Crohn's disease: a case-control study

Peng Xiang #  1   2 , Jia-Yin Yao #  1   2 , Xiao-Lan Li  3 , Min Zhang  1   2 , Pin-Jin Hu  1   2 , Min Zhi  4   5
Affiliations

Clinical characteristics and risk factors of ovarian reserve decreases in women with Crohn's disease: a case-control study

Peng Xiang et al. J Ovarian Res. .

Abstract

Background: Crohn's disease (CD), often occurring in women of child-bearing age, can decline the fertility rate. However, whether it reduces ovarian reserve has been rarely reported. This study aimed to evaluate the ovarian reserve in women with CD from the perspective of anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH), and explore the factors that can decrease ovarian reserve.

Methods: A case-control retrospective study was designed. We analyzed the AMH levels in a total of 135 CD women and 878 healthy controls. Through propensity score matching, the subjects were assigned in a ratio of 1:3 to CD group (n = 121) and control group (n = 324). Both groups shared similar basic characteristics, like age, body mass index and smoking status. Serum AMH levels were measured by chemiluminescence.

Results: The AMH level in the CD group was significantly lower than that in the control group (2.17 ± 2.23 μg/L vs 3.95 ± 2.01 μg/L, 95%CI [1.34-2.21], P < 0.001). In both groups, the AMH levels decreased as age increased, but without between-group difference in the decreasing rate (P = 0.639). Multivariate analysis showed that age > 30 years (OR, 2.905; 95%CI [1.053-8.531], P = 0.017), disease activity (OR,4.314; 95%CI [1.561-12.910], P = 0.002) and thalidomide use (OR,12.628; 95%CI [4.351 -42.820], P < 0.001) were independent risk factors associated with decreased ovarian reserve (AMH<1.1μg/L).

Conclusion: Ovarian reserve is lower in CD women than in healthy women. Age, CD activity and medication of thalidomide are risk factors that can aggravate the decline of ovarian reserve.

Keywords: Anti-Müllerian hormone; Crohn’s disease; Ovarian reserve.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Comparison of AMH between CD patients and control
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Relationship between AMH and age in CD and control group
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Risk factors associated with decreased ovarian reserve
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

References

    1. Duricova D, Burisch J, Jess T, Gower-Rousseau C, Lakatos PL, EpiCom E. Age-related differences in presentation and course of inflammatory bowel disease: an update on the population-based literature. J Crohns Colitis. 2014;8(11):1351–1361. doi: 10.1016/j.crohns.2014.05.006. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Mountifield R, Bampton P, Prosser R, Muller K, Andrews JM. Fear and fertility in inflammatory bowel disease: a mismatch of perception and reality affects family planning decisions. Inflamm Bowel Dis. 2009;15(5):720–725. doi: 10.1002/ibd.20839. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Druvefors E, Landerholm K, Hammar U, Myrelid P, Andersson RE. Impaired fertility in women with inflammatory bowel disease: a National Cohort Study from Sweden. J Crohns Colitis. 2021;15(3):383–390. doi: 10.1093/ecco-jcc/jjaa191. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Clark-Snustad K, Butnariu M, Afzali A. Women's health and ulcerative colitis. Gastroenterol Clin N Am. 2020;49(4):769–789. doi: 10.1016/j.gtc.2020.07.004. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Peng X, Zhi M, Wei M, Li TT, Zhang M, Zhang YQ, et al. Thalidomide results in diminished ovarian reserve in reproductive age female IBD patients. Medicine (Baltimore) 2017;96(21):e6540. doi: 10.1097/MD.0000000000006540. - DOI - PMC - PubMed