Objective: To investigate the relationship between antimüllerian hormone (AMH) and steroidogenesis in follicles of normoandrogenic ovulatory women undergoing follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) therapy for in vitro fertilization/embryo transfer (IVF-ET).
Design: Prospective cohort.
Setting: Institutional/private practice.
Patient(s): 26 normoandrogenic ovulatory women. All women received gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) analog and ovarian stimulation for IVF-ET.
Intervention(s): Follicle fluid was aspirated at oocyte retrieval from the first follicle of each ovary.
Main outcome measure(s): Follicle fluid was assayed for AMH, estradiol (E(2)), progesterone, androstenedione, testosterone, dihydrotestosterone, insulin, and FSH.
Result(s): Intrafollicular AMH levels positively and negatively correlated with E(2) and FSH concentrations in follicles, respectively, causing a positive relationship between follicle fluid AMH levels and E(2)/FSH ratios as a measure of follicle sensitivity to FSH. A positive relationship also existed in follicles between AMH levels and E(2)/androgen ratios as a marker of aromatase activity.
Conclusion(s): The AMH levels in follicles of IVF patients positively correlate with follicle sensitivity to FSH.