Comparative analysis of ovarian reserve in women with obesity in reproductive period

Objective. To evaluate the ovarian reserve function in female patients with obesity in comparison with women without obesity. Materials and methods. This study evaluated 500 caucasian women, age 20-30 years, 250 with obesity (body mass index, BMI >= 230 kg/m(2)) and 250 without obesity (BMI <30 kg/m(2)). Anthropometrics, serum concentrations of anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH), inhibin B, follicle stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, estradiol, progesterone, and testosterone were compared as ovarian volume (cm(3)) and antral follicle count (AFC), determined by ovarian transvaginal ultrasonography. Results and discussion. We reveal statistically significant difference in following parameters: AMH (2.7 +/- 0.47 ng/ml vs. 3.81-0.63 ng/ml; p<0.05), testosterone (1.4 +/- 0.3 nmol/l vs. 0.7 +/- 0.2 nmol/l; p<0.01), ovarian volume (7.2 +/- 1.9 cm(3) vs 9.5 +/- 1.7 cm(3) ; p<0.05), and AFC (13.3 +/- 4.5 vs 20.7 +/- 7.2; p<0.01) in obesity group vs. control group respectively. Conclusion. Ovarian reserve function is significantly lower in obese patients than in healthy control subjects of young reproductive age, but ovarian reserve parameters are in normal reference range even in obese patients.