Anti-Mullerian hormone variability and its implications for the number of oocytes retrieved following individualized dosing with follitropin delta

OBJECTIVE: The stability of anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) across and between menstrual cycles has been the subject of debate. The objective of this analysis was to study the inter- and intracycle variability in repeated measurements and assess the impact on an individualized gonadotropin dosing algorithm and predicted oocyte yield.

DESIGN: Retrospective analysis of repeat AMH measures from a randomized controlled trial.

PATIENTS: A total of 1326 women aged 18-40 years.

MEASUREMENTS: Serum AMH levels at screening and at cycle day 2-3 in up to three ovarian stimulation cycles. AMH variability and its impact on gonadotropin dose and the predicted number of oocytes.

RESULTS: Repeat serum AMH measurements were strongly correlated within individual women (correlation coefficient 0.92). AMH exhibited limited within-subject variation (coefficient of variation 23%), a small time-related decline (mean 6% decrease/y), but no systematic variation across the menstrual cycle. Irrespective of whether the AMH screening value or the AMH at the initiation of ovarian stimulation was used, for women with an AMH level <15 pmol/L, 93% would receive the same gonadotropin dose and attain an identical number of oocytes in 97% of cases. For women with an AMH level ≥15 pmol/L, 80% would receive an individualized dose within ±1.5 μg and 90% would attain ±1 oocyte.

CONCLUSION: AMH variability had limited impact on individualized gonadotropin dosing, with 95% of women predicted to obtain an oocyte yield that does not vary beyond 1 oocyte count, irrespective of whether a random or early follicular AMH measurement was used to determine the individualized gonadotropin dose.