title: Basal FSH concentrations as a marker of ovarian ageing are not related to pregnancy outcome in a general population of women over 30 years.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Previous studies suggest that elevated basal FSH concentrations are related to aneuploid pregnancies. However, there have been no prospective studies evaluating the incidence of aneuploidies in relation to basal FSH concentrations. Since the majority of aneuploid conceptions end in early pregnancy loss or abortion of a recognized pregnancy, these determinants are appropriate intermediate end-points to study aneuploidy.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a prospective study in 129 women without a history of subfertility pursuing a spontaneous pregnancy. Basal FSH concentrations were measured during three menstrual cycles. Urinary HCG levels were measured during menstruation for a maximum of six menstrual cycles, to detect early pregnancy loss. We estimated the effect of basal FSH concentrations on pregnancy outcome, taking into account possible confounders.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We observed no significant effect of basal FSH concentrations on the incidence of early pregnancy loss or abortion of clinically recognized pregnancies.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We conclude that in a population of women without a history of subfertility, pursuing a spontaneous pregnancy, basal FSH concentrations are not related to the incidence of early pregnancy loss or abortions. This prospective study therefore fails to confirm a relationship between signs of decreased ovarian reserve and aneuploid pregnancies.
authors.affiliation: Research Institute for Endocrinology, Reproduction and Metabolism, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Vrije Universiteit Medical Centre, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. j.vanmontfrans@zonnet.nl
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: van Montfrans
authors.forename: M H A
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: van Hooff
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Huirne
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Tanahatoe
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sadrezadeh
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Martens
authors.forename: J M G
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: van Vugt
authors.forename: C B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Lambalk
mesh_terms: D000022:Abortion, Spontaneous / Q000097:blood; D000328:Adult; D000375:Aging; D000782:Aneuploidy; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood*; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000652:urine; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008597:Menstrual Cycle; D010053:Ovary / Q000502:physiology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D011446:Prospective Studies
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone