Results of IVF-ICSI cycles in low responder patients: An observational study

Objectives

To analyze the pregnancy, live birth, and miscarriage rates of the IVF/ICSI cycles in women with low levels of AMH, compared to patients with normal levels of this hormone.

Methods

We carried out an observational and retrospective study with the data of the patients treated in 2017 and 2018 in the Assisted Reproduction Section of La Paz University Hospital (LPHU), comparing 223 low responder patients (AMH < 0.5 ng/ml and AMH 0.5–1,1 ng/ml) with 408 from the control group of normo-responder patients (AMH 1.1–3 ng/ml). Chi-square and Kruskal–Wallis tests were used.

Results

Pregnancy rate was lower in the AMH < 0.5 group(14.5%), compared to the control group (35.5%) (p = 0.014). No significant differences were observed comparing abortion rate and live birth rate between the study groups. At an older age, the pregnancy rate and live birth rate decreased significantly (p = 0.007 and p = 0.019). At lower levels of AMH, the number of expected and obtained oocytes, mature oocytes, and total embryos were also smaller, there were a higher rate of blank punctures and a lower rate of vitrified embryos.

Conclusion

Patients with low ovarian reserve have a lower pregnancy rate compared to patients with a normal ovarian reserve. AMH plays a key role as an ovarian response marker in IVF cycles, although age is one of the factors that should be considered.