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Authors’ contributions
This work was carried out in collaboration among all authors. Author TG designed the study,
performed the statistical analysis, wrote the protocol and wrote the first draft of the manuscript.
Authors NDG and NTO managed the analyses of the study. Author SAT managed the literature
searches. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
Article Information
Editor(s):
(1) Dr. Abdelmonem Awad M. Hegazy, Zagazig University, Egypt.
Reviewers:
(1) Arshiya Sultana, National Institute of Unani Medicine, India.
(2) Katarzyna Skorupska, Medical University in Lublin, Poland.
(3) Bijan Rezakhaniha, Aja University of Medical Sciences, Iran.
Complete Peer review History: http://www.sdiarticle4.com/review-history/59229
ABSTRACT
Aim: The purpose of the study was to evaluate the correlation between Anti-Mullerian hormone
(AMH) levels and sexual dysfunction in infertile women.
Methods: This prospective cross-sectional study was done on 558 infertile women. The participants
were divided into three different AMH groups i.e. first AMH group (poor responder with ≤3 oocytes),
second AMH group (normoresponder with 4–9 oocytes), and third AMH group (high responder with
≥10 oocytes). The values of the total Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) variable were divided
into three FSFI levels: level 1 (below 23), level 2 (between 23 and 29), and Level 3 (above 30). The
participants were divided into two groups: the first group with normal weight (BMI<25) and the
second group with overweight (25<BMI<30). The FSFA questionnaire as a standardized and
validated self-report was applied for measurement of the female sexual dysfunction.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Results: The mean age of the participants was 30.14 years and the mean BMI was 24.81. 64.87%
of the participants had normal weight and 35.13% had overweight. Regarding the total FSFI levels,
55.4% of the participants are at level 1, 42.3% at level 2, and 2.3% at level 3. The first AMH group
had a mean of 0.58±0.27, the second AMH group had a mean of 2.38±0.89, and the third group had
a mean of 6.42±1.58. There was a significant difference among the three AMH groups in terms of
all total FSFI subdomains. The participants at total FSFI level 1 had p-value=0.00, those at level 2
had p-value=0.00 and those at Level 3 had p-value=0.005.
Conclusion: Sexual dysfunction is reversely correlated with AMH. The participants with overweight
had higher AMH value. To overcome female sexual dysfunction among infertile women, it is
necessary to have sexual counseling, determine the factors affecting sexual dysfunction, and
provide appropriate treatment.
Keywords: Anti-mullerian hormone; body mass index; female sexual function index; sexual
dysfunction.
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Gurbuz et al.; ARJGO, 4(2): 10-16, 2020; Article no.ARJGO.59229
This prospective cross-sectional study was done The normality hypothesis of the AMH
on 558 infertile women at Gynecology and variable was rejected with the Kolmogorov–
Obstetrics and In-vitro Fertilization (IVF) Smirnov test. Therefore, to study the difference
Outpatient Clinic between May and June 2020. in AMH means at different levels, the Kruskal–
The inclusion criteria included only the patients Wallis test was used. To study the relationship
undergoing IVF, the patients aged between 18 between age and AMH value at different levels,
and 40, no conception despite unprotected the Spearman Correlation Coefficient was
intercourse for a period of at least 1 year, regular used. All stages have been performed with SPSS
menstruation, normal uterine cavity, and at least 26.1.
one patent fallopian tube. The exclusion criteria
for patients were included those with a history of When the sample size was calculated with the
endocrinological and psychiatric diseases, GPower 3.1 (http://www.gpower.hhu.de/)
hypertension, hyperlipidemia, cardiovascular program, the total mean of three groups, which
disease, thyroid dysfunction and diabetes was compared based on ANOVA F-test with the
mellitus, endometriosis, polycystic ovary effect size of 25%, power of 95% and type 1
syndrome, patients with a history of uterine error of 0.05, was found to be at least 252
anomaly, male factor, secondary-infertile, patients.
premature ovarian insufficiency and patients who
did not have coitus at least once in the previous 3. RESULTS
month. The participants were divided into three
different AMH groups i.e. first AMH (poor The mean age was 30.14 years and the mean
responder with ≤3 oocytes) group, second AMH BMI was 24.81. Total FSFI scores value of
(normo-responder with 4–9 oocytes) group, and 55.4% of the data was at level 1, 42.3% at level
third AMH (high responder with ≥10 oocytes) 2, and the remaining 2.3% at level 3. 64.87% of
group. the patients had normal weight (BMI<25) and
35.13% had overweight (25<BMI<30).
The participants were divided into two groups: Information about the descriptive statistic of the
the first group with normal weight (BMI<25) AMH variable was stratified by different levels of
and the second group with overweight Total FSFI. Based on it, means (standard
(25<BMI<30). Total FSFI level was divided into deviation) at levels 1, 2, and 3 are 2.2(2.41),
total FSFI level 1 (below 23), total FSFI level 2 4.35(2.47), and 4.94(2.38), respectively. As
(between 23 and 29), and total FSFI Level 3 observed, the subjects divided into three
(above 30). groups each containing 180, 188, and 190
participants and their means (standard deviation)
The Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) are 0.58(0.27), 2.38(0.89), and 6.42(1.58),
questionnaire as a standardized and respectively.
validated self-report was applied for the
measurement of the sexual dysfunction. There Kruskal–Wallis test was used to study the
was a comparison of the total FSFI scores and difference in AMH variable in different groups
each sub-domain score of the infertile women. and also at different levels of Total FSFI .The
Six domains including desire (the interest results are given in Tables 1 and 2. Considering
to have sexual experience), arousal (having a the results obtained from p-value in Table 1, it
desire for sexual relation followed by can be found that there is a significant difference
stimulations), lubrication, orgasm (reaching among AMH groups in all values of Total FSFI
orgasm after arousal and stimulation), subdomains including FSFI desire score, FSFI
satisfaction, and pain measured based on arousal score, FSFI lubrication score, FSFI
patients' self-report were included in the FSFI orgasm score, FSFI satisfaction score, and FSFI
score. Arousal (4 questions), desire (2 pain score. Total FSFI score is 19.7±2.68 in the
questions), orgasm (3 questions), satisfaction (3 first AMH group, 25.85±1.78 in the second AMH
questions), lubrication (4 questions), and pain (3 group, and 31.72±1.27 in the third AMH group. In
questions) are the six domains of the scale Table 2, p-values show that there is a significant
items. The sum of all scores obtained in all six difference among the three AMH groups at
domains was the total FSFI score. The higher different Total FSFI levels. In Table 3, p-value
score showed better sexuality among infertile (>0.05) shows that there is a significant
women. difference among different AMH groups in terms
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Gurbuz et al.; ARJGO, 4(2): 10-16, 2020; Article no.ARJGO.59229
of BMI. Table 4 shows that the participants in the of Total FSFI subdomains including FSFI desire
second BMI group (25<BMI<30) had higher AMH score, FSFI arousal score, FSFI lubrication
values than those in the first BMI group score, FSFI orgasm score, FSFI satisfaction
(BMI<25). Table 5, considering p-value (<0.05), score, and FSFI pain score. Our finding showed
shows that there is no significant difference that there was a significant difference among the
among different Total FSFI levels in each age three AMH groups at different Total FSFI levels.
group. It was also found that the participants with
overweight had higher AMH value than those
4. DISCUSSION with normal weight but no significant difference
was found among different Total FSFI levels in
The focus of this study was on the investigation each age group. The results of our study showed
of the correlation between AMH levels and that AMH increased with increasing sexual
sexual dysfunction in infertile women. Results of function. Our study found a negative correlation
the study showed that there was a significant between AMH levels and sexual dysfunction
difference among three AMH groups in all values among infertile women.
Table 1. The significance value of Kruskal–Wallis test for variables of FSFI subdomain among
different AMH groups
Table 2. The significance value of Kruskal–Wallis test for different AMH groups at different
Total FSFI levels
Variable Total FSFI p-value Total FSFI p-value Total FSFI p-value
Level 1 Level 2 Level 3
Wallis Wallis Wallis
AMH 253.62 0.00 178.94 0.00 7.80 0.005
Table 3. Significance value of Kruskal–Wallis test for BMI variable among different AMH
groups
Table 4. The significance value of Kruskal–Wallis test for AMH variable among different BMI
groups
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Gurbuz et al.; ARJGO, 4(2): 10-16, 2020; Article no.ARJGO.59229
Table 5. The significance value of Kruskal–Wallis test for different AGE groups at different
Total FSFI levels
Variable Age first p-value Age second p-value Age third p-value
group group group
wallis wallis wallis
Total FSFI 0.55 0.45 1.6 0.43 0.59 0.74
Aydın et al. [15] found a strong negative AMH/high FSH and sexual dissatisfaction but
correlation between AMH and the female sexual did not find a statistical correlation between
distress score, indicating the relationship the parameters of AMH levels and sexual
between lower serum level of AMH and high total dysfunction.
sexual distress scores among the infertile
women, which is in line with our study results. A Our study results are not consistent with the
relevant study by Pal et al. [22] showed that results of the studies by Palacios et al.[30] who
lower ovarian reserve which was associated with found that sexual dysfunction was affected by
infertility caused sexual function complexity and age and Shifren et al.[31] who found that sexual
that disruption of sexual functions was due to the dysfunction increased with increasing age.
reduction of testosterone and estrogen among
the infertile patients with lower ovarian reserve, There are some limitations to our study. One of
which supports our study results. the limitations of the study was the use of FSFI
only once at the beginning of treatment and the
Several studies showed that patients with absence of a fertile patient population in the
premature ovarian failure (POF) had more same age group as a control group. In addition,
frequent sexual dysfunction than the normal we do not know the effects of androgens and
patients and had lower scores in satisfaction, other sexual hormones in this study. In fact, it is
lubrication, orgasm, pain, and arousal but there known that androgens and other hormones also
was no difference in desire [23] and women with affect sexual functions. However, one of the
premature ovarian failure experienced impaired distinctive features of the study is that it only
sexual well-being and were less sexually included patients undergoing IVF. Another
satisfied than the control women [24], while our limitation of the study was that there were no
study found a significant difference among three obese BMI ≥30 infertile patients to be studied.
AMH groups in terms of all total FSFI
subdomains. 5. CONCLUSION
Our study results are in line with the results of It is concluded that the prevalence of sexual
the study by Graziottin et al. [25] who showed dysfunction is high among infertile women with
that psychological stress due to POF, deficiency low AMH. The participants with overweight had
of estrogen and androgen, and infertility mainly higher AMH value. There is no significant
caused sexual dysfunction in patients with POF difference among different Total FSFI levels in
[26]. each age group. To overcome female sexual
dysfunction among infertile women, it is
Another study found a reverse correlation necessary to have sexual counseling, determine
between the serum AMH concentration and the factors affecting sexual dysfunction, and
increasing age [27] which is not in line with our provide appropriate treatment.
study results.
CONSENT AND ETHICAL APPROVAL
Our study is not in line with the results of the
study by Cui et al. [28] who did not confirm the This study was approved by the University/Local
relationship between AMH and BMI but found the Human Research Ethics Committee and all
relationship between AMH and age. procedures performed in studies involving human
participants were in accordance with the ethical
Our study results are not in line with the results standards of the institutional and/or national
of the study by Karli et al. [29] who found that research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki
there was no statistically significant correlation Declaration and its later amendments or
between AMH and BMI but consistent with the comparable ethical standards. The study was
finding that there was a correlation between low carried out with the permission of the Research
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Gurbuz et al.; ARJGO, 4(2): 10-16, 2020; Article no.ARJGO.59229
Ethics Committee of Adana City Training and evaluative prevalence study. J Psychosom
Research Hospital (Permission granted /CAAE Obstet Gynaecol. 2009;30:11–20.
number: 2020/05.20, Decision no. 865). All 12. Cousineau T, Domar A. Psychological
participants presented the informed consent impact of infertility. Best Pract Res Clin
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13. Shindel AW, Nelson CJ, Naughton CK,
COMPETING INTERESTS Ohebshalom M, Mulhall JP. Sexual
function and quality of life in the male
Authors have declared that no competing partner of infertile couples: prevalence and
interests exist. correlates of dysfunction. J Urol. 2008;179:
1056–9.
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Peer-review history:
The peer review history for this paper can be accessed here:
http://www.sdiarticle4.com/review-history/59229
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