Article
Mild COVID-19 infection does not alter the ovarian reserve in women treated with ART

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rbmo.2021.09.001Get rights and content

Abstract

Research question

Does mild COVID-19 infection affect the ovarian reserve of women undergoing an assisted reproductive technology (ART) protocol?

Design

A prospective observational study was conducted between June and December 2020 at the ART unit of Tenon Hospital, Paris. Women managed at the unit for fertility issues by in-vitro fecundation, intracytoplasmic sperm injection (IVF/ICSI), fertility preservation, frozen embryo transfer or artificial insemination, and with an anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) test carried out within 12 months preceding ART treatment, were included. All the women underwent a COVID rapid detection test (RDT) and AMH concentrations between those who tested positive (RDT positive) and those who tested negative (RDT negative).

Results

The study population consisted of 118 women, 11.9% (14/118) of whom were COVID RDT positive. None of the tested women presented with a history of severe COVID-19 infection. The difference between the initial AMH concentration and AMH concentration tested during ART treatment was not significantly different between the COVID RDT positive group and COVID RDT negative group (–1.33 ng/ml [–0.35 to –1.61) versus –0.59 ng/ml [–0.15 to –1.11], P = 0.22).

Conclusion

A history of mild COVID-19 infection does not seem to alter the ovarian reserve as evaluated by AMH concentrations. Although these results are reassuring, further studies are necessary to assess the effect of COVID-19 on pregnancy outcomes in women undergoing ART.

KEYWORDS

AMH
ART
COVID
Ovarian reserve

Cited by (0)

Kamila Kolanska, MD, is a reproductive medicine specialist working at the Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Reproductive Medicine Department at Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Paris, Sorbonne University. Research interests include female infertility and hormonal treatments.

Key message

Mild COVID-19 infection did not alter the ovarian reserve in women treated with ART. Baseline AMH, AMH tested during the ART treatment, and the difference between the two AMH levels, were not statistically different between groups that tested positive for COVID-19 and those that tested negative (rapid detection test).

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Joint first authors.

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