Does loop electrosurgical excision procedure of the uterine cervix affect anti-Müllerian hormone levels?
BACKGROUND
A delayed time to pregnancy was recently reported for women who had a loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP) to remove cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) grade 2 or 3. The objective of the current study was to determine if treatment of CIN with LEEP is associated with decreased levels of anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH), a marker of ovarian reserve.


METHODS
AMH levels were measured in 18 women treated with LEEP and 18 age-matched controls, who had colposcopy only and did not require LEEP. Cases and controls had their blood drawn at study entry time zero and again 6 months later.


RESULTS
The mean AMH level decreased significantly from baseline to follow-up; however, no significant differences were observed when stratifying by LEEP status, suggesting that both groups experienced a similar decrease in AMH levels during the follow-up period. Although women treated with LEEP had lower overall AMH levels than controls at both baseline and follow-up, these differences were not statistically significant.


CONCLUSIONS
Overall, the delayed time to pregnancy observed in women treated with LEEP is likely not due to a LEEP-associated decrease in ovarian reserve as measured by AMH; thus, other mechanism are responsible for the delayed time to pregnancy associated with LEEP.
Human Papillomavirus Immunology Laboratory, Leidos Biomedical Research, Incorporated, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Building 469, Room 111, 1050 Boyles Street, Frederick, MD 21702, USA.
Martha M
MM
Sklavos
Department of Epidemiology, University of Iowa College of Public Health, 145 Riverside Drive, S471 CPHB, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA.
Cassandra N
CN
Spracklen
Department of Epidemiology, University of Iowa College of Public Health, 145 Riverside Drive, S427 CPHB, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA.
Audrey F
AF
Saftlas
Human Papillomavirus Immunology Laboratory, Leidos Biomedical Research, Incorporated, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Building 469, Room 111, 1050 Boyles Street, Frederick, MD 21702, USA.
Ligia A
LA
Pinto
D054304:Anti-Mullerian Hormone / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism*; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D004598:Electrosurgery / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D002578:Uterine Cervical Dysplasia / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery
D054304:Anti-Mullerian Hormone