Each small antral follicle in ovaries of women with polycystic ovary syndrome produces more antimüllerian hormone than its counterpart in a normal ovary: an observational cross-sectional study

Objective To ascertain if subfertile women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) secrete more antimüllerian hormone (AMH) per antral follicle than control women. Design Observational cross-sectional study. Setting Fertility clinic. Patient(s) A total of 438 women attending the fertility clinic over a period of 13 months from September 2012 to September 2013. Intervention(s) Serum concentrations of AMH and the total antral follicle count (AFC) were obtained from women attending the fertility clinic. The ratio of AMH/AFC for each subject was calculated. Women were categorized into three groups: PCOS, polycystic ovarian morphology (PCOM), and control. PCOS and PCOM were defined based on the European Society for Human Reproduction and Embryology/American Society for Reproductive Medicine Rotterdam consensus criteria. Main Outcome Measure(s) The ratio of AMH/AFC for each subject in the three groups: PCOS, PCOM, and control. Result(s) The median AMH/AFC ratios in the PCOS, PCOM, and control groups were 1.92, 1.13, and 1.00, respectively. The AMH/AFC ratio was significantly higher in the PCOS group compared with the PCOM and control groups (F[2,152] = 21.82). Women in the three groups were not statistically different regarding age, body mass index, earlier ovarian surgery, and smoking status. Conclusion(s) Subfertile women with PCOS secrete significantly more AMH per antral follicle than women with PCOM only and control women.