The correlation between follicular fluid anti-mullerian hormone levels and fertilization and embryo quality in ART cycles

Background: Determination of oocyte and embryo quality are one of the most important goals in IVF. Anti-mullerian hormone (AMH) is secreted by the ovarian granulosa cells into blood flow and follicular fluid. Follicular fluid anti-mullerian hormone level is probably a marker of activity of granulose cells.
Objective: To evaluate whether high level of follicular fluid anti-mullerian hormone level is related to success of fertilization and better embryo quality.
Materials and Methods: 62 women, whose follicular fluid sample was obtained from a single follicle in each patient, underwent IVF with GnRH-agonist long protocol. Based on oocyte fertilization, the patients were divided into fertilized group (n=42) and non-fertilized group (n=20). FF AMH levels were measured in both groups and the quality of embryos was determined in fertilized group.
Results: Median of FF AMH level in fertilized group was higher than that in non-fertilized group (5.7ng/ml v.s. 2.7ng/ml) and a statistically significant difference was observed between the two groups. There was a significant difference between FF AMH level and scores of embryos (p<0.001).The medians levels of FF AMH were 6.7ng/ml in good quality embryos and 3.80ng/ml in fair quality embryos.
Conclusion: Our results indicate that FF AMH level has positive correlation with fertilization and embryo quality; therefore, it can be considered as a marker of IVF outcome.

Keywords
Anti-mullerian hormone, Follicular fluid, Fertilization, Embryo quality, In-vitro fertilization.