Endocrine markers of ovarian function: Clinical and biological aspects with focus on Anti Müllerian hormone
type: CreativeWork
description: Declining birthrates and infertility are now a common problem in the Western World. Due to the tendency to postpone childbearing an increasing age of women who consider motherhood is generally seen. A factor closely related to female fertility is the ovarian reserve, a term used to designate both quantitative as well as qualitative aspects of the remaining gametes in the female gonads. Despite a natural age-dependent decline in terms of the amount of gametes, a substantial variability exists between individuals as to the age at which the actual decrease starts. In this setting biomarkers to assess the individual fertility potential are often requested. Currently the antral follicle count and the Anti Müllerian Hormone (AMH) level are considered to be the most predictive markers. The two markers roughly describe the same issue as they are both related to certain developmental stages of the folliculogenisis. Furthermore, the number of growing follicles is closely related to the activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary axis which controls the secretion of Luteinizing Hormone (LH) and Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH). The aim of the present thesis was firstly to explore the age-related circadian variation of AMH in normally ovulating women and patients with Polycystic Ovarian syndrome (PCOS) and its relation to gonadotropin secretion; secondly to explore the inter- and intra-cyclic variation of AMH related to the number of antral follicles measured by ultrasound; thirdly to explore AMH as a marker of time to pregnancy in fertile women, and finally, to examine the significance of mid-follicular phase LH levels in patients undergoing IVF. The results show that, in contrast to women with PCOS, normally ovulating women reveal a significant circadian variation in AMH. The co-variation with androgens and LH, may indicate that LH masters the secretion of AMH. Moreover, in normally ovulating women, AMH shows a significant intra-and inter-cyclic variation which may question the …
abstract: Declining birthrates and infertility are now a common problem in the Western World. Due to the tendency to postpone childbearing an increasing age of women who consider motherhood is generally seen. A factor closely related to female fertility is the ovarian reserve, a term used to designate both quantitative as well as qualitative aspects of the remaining gametes in the female gonads. Despite a natural age-dependent decline in terms of the amount of gametes, a substantial variability exists between individuals as to the age at which the actual decrease starts. In this setting biomarkers to assess the individual fertility potential are often requested. Currently the antral follicle count and the Anti Müllerian Hormone (AMH) level are considered to be the most predictive markers. The two markers roughly describe the same issue as they are both related to certain developmental stages of the folliculogenisis. Furthermore, the number of growing follicles is closely related to the activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary axis which controls the secretion of Luteinizing Hormone (LH) and Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH). The aim of the present thesis was firstly to explore the age-related circadian variation of AMH in normally ovulating women and patients with Polycystic Ovarian syndrome (PCOS) and its relation to gonadotropin secretion; secondly to explore the inter- and intra-cyclic variation of AMH related to the number of antral follicles measured by ultrasound; thirdly to explore AMH as a marker of time to pregnancy in fertile women, and finally, to examine the significance of mid-follicular phase LH levels in patients undergoing IVF. The results show that, in contrast to women with PCOS, normally ovulating women reveal a significant circadian variation in AMH. The co-variation with androgens and LH, may indicate that LH masters the secretion of AMH. Moreover, in normally ovulating women, AMH shows a significant intra-and inter-cyclic variation which may question the …
author: Bungum, Leif
language: eng
keywords: Gynaecology, Obstetrics and Reproductive Medicine, Anti Müllerian Hormone, ovarian reserve, biomarker, Luteinizing Hormone, fecundity, fertility, Time to Pregnancy
date published: 2013
date modified: 2026-07-24T02:59:36Z
provider: University of Lund
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: Molecular Reproductive Medicine