High anti-Müllerian hormone level as a predictor of poor pregnancy outcomes in women with polycystic ovary syndrome undergoing in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection: a retrospective cohort study.

Abstract

Objective: To study the correlation between anti-Müllerian hormone levels and pregnancy outcomes after in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection in women with polycystic ovary syndrome, which remains controversial.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study recruited 4,719 women with infertility and polycystic ovary syndrome aged 20-40 years who underwent treatment at the Reproductive Center of Peking University Third Hospital between February 2017 and June 2023. We divided the participants into three groups according to the 25th and 75th percentile cutoffs of serum anti-Müllerian hormone: low (≤ 4.98 ng/mL, n = 1,198), average (4.98 - 10.65 ng/mL, n = 2,346), and high (≥ 10.65 ng/mL, n = 1,175). Pregnancy outcomes included live birth rate, miscarriage rate, clinical pregnancy rate, and cumulative live birth rate.

Results: The live birth rate for fresh embryo transfer was 39.8%, 35.9%, and 30.4% in the low, average, and high anti-Müllerian hormone groups, respectively. The miscarriage rate was 11.3%, 17.1%, and 21.8% in the low, average, and high anti-Müllerian hormone groups, respectively. Significant intergroup differences were observed in the live birth rate (P = 0.017) and miscarriage rate (P = 0.018). No significant intergroup difference was observed in the clinical pregnancy rate (P = 0.204) or cumulative live birth rate (P = 0.423). After adjusting the confounders by multivariable logistic regression analysis, anti-Müllerian hormone was associated with decreased live birth rate in the high anti-Müllerian hormone group compared with that in the low anti-Müllerian hormone group (odds ratio: 0.629, 95% confidence interval: 0.460-0.860). Anti-Müllerian hormone was associated with increased miscarriage rate in the average and high anti-Müllerian hormone groups compared with that in the low anti-Müllerian hormone group (average vs. low: odds ratio: 1.592, 95% confidence interval: 1.017-2.490); high vs. low: odds ratio: 2.045, 95% confidence interval: 1.152-3.633).

Conclusion: High anti-Müllerian hormone is a prognostic factor for reduced live birth rate after fresh embryo transfer in women with polycystic ovary syndrome aged 20-40 years undergoing in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection, and is associated with increased miscarriage rate in these patients.