Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 12, 2026

Z-Scores for Assessing Ovarian Reserve in Young Patients Undergoing Fertility Preservation
Published on: October 25, 2024
Correlation of ovarian reserve tests with histologically determined primordial follicle number
Karl R Hansen1, George M Hodnett, Nicholas Knowlton
1Section of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73190, USA. karl-hansen@ouhsc.edu
Objective:
To investigate the relationship between clinical markers of ovarian reserve and the true ovarian reserve as determined by the ovarian primordial follicle number.
Design:
Prospective investigation.
Setting:
Academic medical center.
Patient(S):
Forty-two healthy women (aged 26-52 years) undergoing oophorectomy for benign gynecologic indications.
Intervention(S):
Transvaginal ultrasound examination for the determination of the ovarian antral follicle count (AFC) and serum measurements of clinical markers of ovarian reserve. All measurements were obtained within 2 weeks of surgery, irrespective of cycle day. Ovarian primordial follicle count was then determined using a validated fractionator/optical disector method.
Main Outcome Measure(S):
Univariate and partial correlations between ovarian reserve markers and ovarian primordial follicle count.
Result(S):
There were significant correlations between the ovarian primordial follicle count and AFC (r=0.78), anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH; r=0.72), FSH (r=-0.32), inhibin B (r=0.40), and chronological age (r=-0.80). After adjusting for age, significant correlations were identified between the ovarian primordial follicle count and AFC (r=0.53) and AMH (r=0.48).
Conclusion(S):
The ovarian AFC and serum levels of AMH correlate with the ovarian primordial follicle number even after adjustment for chronological age.
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