Serum reproductive hormone levels and ultrasound findings in female offspring after intracytoplasmic sperm injection: first results.

OBJECTIVE: To compare reproductive hormone levels and antral follicle count in intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI)-conceived offspring and peers born after spontaneous conception.

DESIGN: Single-center study of the reproductive health at the age of 18-22 years in the worldwide oldest cohort of female ICSI offspring.

SETTING: University hospital.

PATIENT(S): A longitudinally followed cohort of singleton women (n = 71) conceived by means of ICSI because of male infertility and a cross-sectionally recruited group of spontaneously conceived women of the same age (n = 81).

INTERVENTIONS(S): None.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Differences in serum reproductive hormone levels and ultrasound findings.

RESULT(S): Median levels of antimüllerian hormone (AMH), FSH, LH, and DHEAS were similar between ICSI women and their spontaneously conceived counterparts. Median E2 levels in ICSI women taking hormonal contraceptives were higher compared with control women. A minority of ICSI women had AMH levels below the 5th or above the 95th percentile, and ICSI women were not more likely to have AMH levels below the 5th percentile or above the 95th percentile compared with control women. Mean follicle count per ovary was similar between the ICSI and control groups. Furthermore, a similar proportion of women had >19 follicles per ovary (ICSI: 20.9%; control: 20.0%). A strong positive correlation between AMH level and mean follicle count per ovary was found.

CONCLUSION(S): In this cohort of 71 young adult women conceived by means of ICSI because of male infertility in their parents, antral follicle count and circulating reproductive hormone levels, including AMH, FSH, LH, and DHEAS, were found to be similar to results from peers born after spontaneous conception.