Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics

, Volume 32, Issue 2, pp 243–247 | Cite as

Elevated serum thyroid-stimulating hormone is associated with decreased anti-Müllerian hormone in infertile women of reproductive age

  • Keiji Kuroda
  • Toyoyoshi Uchida
  • Saki Nagai
  • Rie Ozaki
  • Takashi Yamaguchi
  • Yuichi Sato
  • Jan J. Brosens
  • Satoru Takeda
Reproductive Physiology and Disease
First Online:
Received:
Accepted:

Abstract

Purpose

Thyroid dysfunction and autoimmune thyroiditis are associated with fertility in women of reproductive age. Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH), a known biomarker of ovarian function, may be affected by impaired thyroid function; however, the relationship between AMH and thyroid hormone has not been elucidated.

Methods

In this case–control study, to identify the impact of thyroid hormone on ovarian reserve, we recruited 67 consecutive Japanese infertile patients and 27 normal fertile women aged 30–39 years without impact factors on thyroid and ovarian functions between 2012 and 2013. We assessed patient age, BMI and AMH, prolactin, TSH and FT4 levels of all study participations as independent variables. To evaluate the relationship between AMH and thyroid hormone, we matched patients by age and body mass index as confounding factors using 1:1 matching for statistical analysis of healthy fertile women and infertile patients and obtained 23 pairs. Then, independent variables were subjected to multiple regression analysis.

Results

Multiple regression analysis showed that both thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels and patient age were negatively correlated with AMH levels in infertile patients (patient age and TSH: standardized partial regression coefficient (β), −0.534 and −0.361; p = 0.003 and 0.036, respectively), but not in normal fertile women.

Conclusions

AMH levels were inversely correlated with TSH levels in infertile women of reproductive age.

Keywords

Infertility Hypothyroidism Anti-Müllerian hormone Ovarian reserve Retrospective study 
This is a preview of subscription content, log in to check access.

Notes

Acknowledgments

We are grateful to all the women who participated in this study. We would also like to thank Dr. Bee Tan (Clinical Science Research Laboratories, Warwick Medical School) for helpful discussions, Dr. Mitsuyoshi Suzuki and Mrs. Yuka Honda (Juntendo University) for patient selection and Drs. Mari Kitade, Jun Kumakiri and Makoto Jinushi (Juntendo University) for support in the fertility outpatient clinic.

Author disclosure statement

All authors have nothing to disclose competing interests exist.

References

  1. 1.
    Krassas GE, Poppe K, et al. Thyroid function and human reproductive health. Endocr Rev. 2010;31:702–55.CrossRefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  2. 2.
    De Groot L, Abalovich M, et al. Management of thyroid dysfunction during pregnancy and postpartum: an endocrine society clinical practice guideline. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2012;97:2543–65.CrossRefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  3. 3.
    van den Boogaard E, Vissenberg R, et al. Significance of (sub) clinical thyroid dysfunction and thyroid autoimmunity before conception and in early pregnancy: a systematic review. Hum Reprod Update. 2011;17:605–19.CrossRefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  4. 4.
    Gerhard I, Becker T, et al. Thyroid and ovarian-function in infertile women. Hum Reprod. 1991;6:338–45.PubMedGoogle Scholar
  5. 5.
    Gerhard I, Eggertkruse W, et al. Thyrotropin-Releasing-Hormone (TRH) and Metoclopramide Testing in Infertile women. Gynecol Endocrinol. 1991;5:15–32.CrossRefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  6. 6.
    Michalakis KG, Mesen TB, et al. Subclinical elevations of thyroid-stimulating hormone and assisted reproductive technology outcomes. Fertil Steril. 2011;95:2634–7.CrossRefPubMedCentralPubMedGoogle Scholar
  7. 7.
    Abdel Rahman AH, Aly Abbassy H, et al. Improved in vitro fertilization outcomes after treatment of subclinical hypothyroidism in infertile women. Endocr Pract. 2010;16:792–7.CrossRefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  8. 8.
    Velkeniers B, Van Meerhaeghe A, et al. Levothyroxine treatment and pregnancy outcome in women with subclinical hypothyroidism undergoing assisted reproduction technologies: systematic review and meta-analysis of RCTs. Hum Reprod Update. 2013;19:251–8.CrossRefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  9. 9.
    Hansen KR, Hodnett GM, et al. Correlation of ovarian reserve tests with histologically determined primordial follicle number. Fertil Steril. 2011;95:170–5.CrossRefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  10. 10.
    Cook-Andersen H, Chuan SS, Maas K, et al. Lack of serum anti-Mullerian hormone responses following recombinant human chorionic gonadotropin stimulation in women with polycystic ovary syndrome. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2014.Google Scholar
  11. 11.
    Kuroda M, Kuroda K, et al. Histological assessment of impact of ovarian endometrioma and laparoscopic cystectomy on ovarian reserve. J Obstet Gynaecol Res. 2012;38:1187–93.CrossRefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  12. 12.
    Kitajima M, Defrere S, et al. Endometriomas as a possible cause of reduced ovarian reserve in women with endometriosis. Fertil Steril. 2011;96:685–91.CrossRefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  13. 13.
    Kitajima M, Khan KN, et al. Changes in serum anti-Mullerian hormone levels may predict damage to residual normal ovarian tissue after laparoscopic surgery for women with ovarian endometrioma. Fertil Steril. 2011;95:2589–91.CrossRefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  14. 14.
    Hirokawa W, Iwase A, et al. The post-operative decline in serum anti-Mullerian hormone correlates with the bilaterality and severity of endometriosis. Hum Reprod. 2011;26:904–10.CrossRefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  15. 15.
    Dechanet C, Anahory T, et al. Effects of cigarette smoking on reproduction. Hum Reprod Update. 2011;17:76–95.CrossRefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  16. 16.
    La Marca A, Sighinolfi G, et al. Prediction of age at menopause from assessment of ovarian reserve may be improved by using body mass index and smoking status. PLoS ONE. 2013;8(3):e57005.CrossRefPubMedCentralPubMedGoogle Scholar
  17. 17.
    te Velde ER, Pearson PL. The variability of female reproductive ageing. Hum Reprod Update. 2002;8:141–54.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  18. 18.
    de Vet A, Laven JSE, et al. Antimullerian hormone serum levels: a putative marker for ovarian aging. Fertil Steril. 2002;77:357–62.CrossRefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  19. 19.
    Penzias AS. Recurrent IVF, failure: other factors. Fertil Steril. 2012;97:1033–8.CrossRefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  20. 20.
    Cramer DW, Sluss PM, et al. Serum prolactin and TSH in an in vitro fertilization population: Is there a link between fertilization and thyroid function? J Assist Reprod Genet. 2003;20:210–5.CrossRefPubMedCentralPubMedGoogle Scholar
  21. 21.
    Colicchia M, Campagnolo L, et al. Molecular basis of thyrotropin and thyroid hormone action during implantation and early development. Hum Reprod Update. 2014;20:884–904.CrossRefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  22. 22.
    Dijkstra G. deRooij DG, et al. Effect of hypothyroidism on ovarian follicular development, granulosa cell proliferation and peripheral hormone levels in the prepubertal rat. Eur J Endocrinol. 1996;134:649–54.CrossRefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  23. 23.
    Fedail JS, Zheng K, Wei Q, Kong L, Shi F. Roles of thyroid hormones in follicular development in the ovary of neonatal and immature rats. Endocrine. 2014;46:594–604.CrossRefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  24. 24.
    Zhang C, Wang X, Wang Z, Niu W, Zhu B, Xia G. Effect of different culture systems and 3, 5, 3 ′-triiodothyronine/follicle-stimulating hormone on preantral follicle development in mice. PLoS ONE. 2013;8:e61947.CrossRefPubMedCentralPubMedGoogle Scholar
  25. 25.
    Mehendale RG, Bruot BC. Thyroid-stimulating hormone inhibits Rat granulosa-cell steroidogenesis in primary culture. Endocrine. 1995;3:215–20.CrossRefPubMedGoogle Scholar

Copyright information

© Springer Science+Business Media New York 2014

Authors and Affiliations

  • Keiji Kuroda
    • 1
  • Toyoyoshi Uchida
    • 2
  • Saki Nagai
    • 1
  • Rie Ozaki
    • 1
  • Takashi Yamaguchi
    • 1
  • Yuichi Sato
    • 3
  • Jan J. Brosens
    • 4
  • Satoru Takeda
    • 1
  1. 1.Department of Obstetrics & GynecologyJuntendo University Faculty of MedicineBunkyo-kuJapan
  2. 2.Departments of Metabolism & EndocrinologyJuntendo University Faculty of MedicineBunkyo-kuJapan
  3. 3.Department of Obstetrics & GynecologyTatedebari Sato HospitalTakasaki-shiJapan
  4. 4.Division of Reproductive Health, Clinical Science Research LaboratoriesWarwick Medical SchoolCoventryUnited Kingdom

Personalised recommendations