Vitamin D Deficiency and Ovarian Reserve Among Infertile Patients

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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The role of vitamin D deficiency in female reproduction remains controversial. Early retrospective studies were inconsistent regarding the effect of serum 25-OH vitamin D levels on pregnancy rates in women undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF), whereas two retrospective studies postulated that vitamin D deficiency may negatively affect pregnancy rates with an effect mediated through the endometrium. Taking into account that knock-out experiments have shown that vitamin D receptor null mice not only experience uterine hypoplasia but also impaired folliculogenesis, it might be hypothesized that vitamin D deficiency may have a detrimental effect on female ovarian reserve. This may be further supported by previous reports demonstrating that serum 25-OH Vitamin D levels correlates with antimullerian hormone (AMH) levels in women of advanced reproductive age. The aim of this study is to examine through a large set of prospectively recruited infertile women whether serum 25-OH-Vitamin D levels is related with the 2 most widely accepted biomarkers of ovarian reserve: serum AMH levels and antral follicle count (AFC).

Official Title
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Vitamin D Deficiency and Ovarian Reserve Among Infertile Patients. A Cross-sectional Analysis

Conditions
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Infertility

Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: infertile women less than 42 years old, undergoing their first treatment cycle in our institution Exclusion Criteria: vitamin D supplements, taking medication for systematic disease or having potential iatrogenic (e.g. ovarian surgery, gonadotoxic therapy) or known genetic cause of ovarian loss

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years
Maximum Age: 42 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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Female

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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No

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Vitamin D deficient patients<br>Serum 25-OH Vitamin D levels <20ng/L | |
| Vitamin D sufficient patients<br>Serum 25-OH Vitamin D levels ≥20ng/L | |

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Antimullerian hormone values in relation to vitamin D status | On the day of the preliminary testing (irrespective of the day of the menstrual cycle) patients will have their serum 25-OH-vitamin D and antimullerian hormone levels determined. 25-OH-vitamin D and antimullerian hormone levels will be measured in samples retrieved on the same day | Between 0-28 days prior to having their 1st ultrasound scan for the determination of antral follicle count (AFC) | 
| Antral follicle count in relation to vitamin D status | On the following cycle of the measurement of serum 25-OH-Vitamin D and AMH levels patient will have a transvaginal ultrasound to determine the antral follicle count (AFC) | 2nd-3rd day of the menstrual cycle following the determination of vitamin D levels | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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Infertility