Relationship between 25-hydroxyvitamin D and ovarian reserve in premenopausal Nigerian women

Context: Despite the increasing knowledge about the potential effect of vitamin D deficiency on ovarian reserve of premenopausal women, the burden of this disorder among 'at risk' women in sub-Saharan Africa is notably scanty. Aims: To determine the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency among premenopausal Nigerian women To assess the relationship between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] and serum anti-mullerian hormone (AMH). Settings and Design: A prospective cross-sectional study of 218 premenopausal Nigerian women, attending a tertiary hospital in Lagos. Materials and Methods: Serum levels of 25(OH)D and AMH were assayed using ELIZA technique, for each eligible participant. Statistical Analysis Used: To determine the association between serum vitamin D and serum AMH were Kruskal-Wallis test and Pearson's correlation coefficient. Data analysis was performed on 211 participants with complete data. Results: The mean (± SD) concentrations of serum 25(OH)D and AMH were 37.8 (± 21.4) ng/ml and 1.6 (± 0.6) ng/ml, respectively. The proportion of study participants with serum vitamin D deficiency, insufficiency and sufficiency were 18.5%, 24.6%, and 56.9%, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference in the mean serum AMH among participants with deficient, insufficient, and sufficient vitamin D levels (1.41 ng/ml versus 1.56 ng/ml versus 1.59 ng/ml, P value = 0.539). Overall, there was no correlation between serum 25(OH)D, and serum AMH (r = 0.056, P > 0.05). Conclusion: Although the proportion of women with subnormal levels of serum vitamin D was relatively high, there was no association between serum levels of vitamin D and AMH.