Changes in antral follicle count and ovarian volume with age

Year 2018, Volume: 35 Issue: 3, 57 - 61, 31.10.2019

Aysegul Kaya Arif Kokcu Emel Kurtoglu , Tayfun Alper Mehmet Bilge Çetinkaya

Abstract

We aimed to ascertain the chronologic
age at which these sonographic measurements begin to show a significant
difference. The study included 100 women (78, aged 19-44 and 22, aged 45-50)
menstruated spontaneously and without thyroid disease, diabetes mellitus,
hyperprolactinaemia, hypogonadotropic hypogonadism or polycystic ovary syndrome
and any gynaecologic surgery. They all underwent sonographic measurement of
total antral follicle (TAF) count and mean ovarian volume (MOV) on the second
or third days of menstrual cycle. Then, the women were assigned to 5 groups: group
1, 19–24 years; group 2, 25–29 years; group 3, 30–37 years; group 4, 38-44
years; and group 5, 45-50 years. There
was a significant association between chronological age and TAF number (r² =
0.328, p < 0.001). No significant difference was noted in TAF number among
the first three groups (² = 0.58, p > 0.05). TAF number was significantly different between groups 3 and 4
(Z: -3.463, p < 0.001), but not between groups 4 and 5 (Z: -1.698, p >
0.05). There was a significant
relationship between chronological age and MOV (r² = 0.149, p < 0.001). MOV
values did not show a significant difference among the first 4 groups
(² = 0.58, p> 0.05; ² = 7.87, p > 0.05 respectively). The MOV of group 5 was significantly different from those of
groups 1, 2, 3, and 4 (Z: -2.75, p < 0.01; Z: -4.351, p < 0.01; Z:
-2.722, p < 0.01; and Z: -2.829, p < 0.01 respectively). In conclusion, the
TAF count decreases significantly beginning at 38 years of age, while MOV
decreases significantly beginning at 45 years of age. Thus, there is no
significant decrease in the ovarian follicular reserve until the age of 38
years, or in the ovarian volume until the age of 45 years. 

Keywords

Age, Ovarian reserve, Ovarian volume, Total antral follicle

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