Daijiworld Media Network - New York
New York, Mar 4: Anti-Müllerian Hormone (AMH) may not accurately reflect ovarian reserve in women with systemic inflammation, according to findings presented at the 2026 Annual Congress of the International Society of Gynecological Endocrinology.
The research comes amid rising demand for fertility preservation, particularly among reproductive-age women diagnosed with cancer, as survival rates continue to improve. Experts noted that ovarian reserve assessment in such patients may be influenced by disease-related factors, including systemic inflammation.
The retrospective observational study, conducted at the Assisted Reproduction Unit of the University Hospital of Padua, analysed data from over 330 women. The cohort included 178 women with breast cancer, 88 with hematologic malignancies, and 65 with other tumours.
Researchers aimed to determine whether antral follicle count (AFC) or AMH levels better predicted ovarian response in these groups. The study found that women with blood cancers were generally younger and had higher AFC and oocyte yield compared to others, despite having similar AMH levels.
This discrepancy between elevated follicular activity and non-elevated AMH suggested that AMH may not reliably reflect ovarian reserve in patients with hematologic malignancies.
The researchers attributed the findings to systemic inflammation. Inflammatory cytokines are believed to suppress AMH secretion or accelerate its degradation, resulting in lower measured levels despite adequate follicular reserve.
As a result, AMH blood tests in women with cancer, particularly those with inflammatory or hematologic conditions, may indicate values lower than the actual reproductive potential.
The study suggested that AFC provided more reliable results in predicting response to controlled ovarian stimulation in assisted reproduction settings.
Researchers advised clinicians to interpret low AMH levels cautiously in patients with hematologic diseases and recommended integrating AFC findings and clinical factors when counselling women about fertility preservation options.