Elsevier

Fertility and Sterility

Volume 74, Issue 2, August 2000, Pages 335-337
Fertility and Sterility

Reproductive endocrinology
Do women with unexplained recurrent pregnancy loss have higher day 3 serum FSH and estradiol values?

Presented in part at the American Society for Reproductive Medicine/ Canadian Fertility and Andrology Society Conjoint Annual Meeting, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, September 25–30, 1999.
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Abstract

Objective: To determine the potential role of diminished ovarian reserve in unexplained habitual abortion.

Design: Retrospective comparative analysis.

Setting: University-based practice.

Patient(s): Fifty-seven women who presented for evaluation of recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL).

Intervention(s): The test group (n = 36) comprised women with unexplained RPL. The control group (n = 21) comprised women with a known cause of RPL. Mean age, parity, day 3 serum FSH and E2 levels, and presence or absence of a history of infertility were compared between groups.

Main Outcome Measure(s): Day 3 serum FSH and E2 levels.

Result(s): Both day 3 FSH and E2 levels were elevated in the unexplained group compared with the control group. When combined, FSH or E2 levels, or both, were elevated in 58% of the unexplained RPL group and 19% of the control group (odds ratio, 5.95 [95% CI, 1.7–21.3]; P<.004). Age, parity, and presence of infertility did not differ between groups.

Conclusion(s): Women with unexplained RPL have a greater incidence of elevated day 3 serum FSH and E2 levels than do women with a known cause of RPL. Therefore, diminished ovarian reserve may contribute to recurrent pregnancy loss and should be considered part of the work-up for RPL.

Keywords

Habitual abortion
recurrent pregnancy loss
ovarian reserve

Cited by (0)

Supported by the Samuel A. Pasquale, MD Research Award, UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ (Dr. Trout) and grant AG15425 from the National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health (Dr. Seifer).