Age-related normogram for antral follicle count: McGill reference guide

Area of Science:

• Reproductive Endocrinology
• Gynecology
• Infertility Diagnostics

Background:

• Antral follicle count (AFC) is a key indicator of ovarian reserve.
• Establishing age-specific AFC benchmarks is crucial for accurate infertility assessment.
• Previous normograms may not fully capture the nuances of AFC decline in specific patient populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop age-related normograms for AFC in infertile women without polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).
• To characterize the pattern of AFC decline across different age percentiles.
• To provide a clinical reference for evaluating ovarian reserve in this demographic.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective cohort analysis of 1866 infertile patients.
• Baseline transvaginal ultrasound performed on days 2-4 of the menstrual cycle.
• Correlation analysis between patient age and AFC percentiles (3rd to 97th).

Main Results:

• A biphasic pattern of AFC decline was observed, characterized by steep-slope and moderate-slope phases.
• The sequence of these phases varied between low (3rd-25th) and high (75th-97th) AFC percentiles.
• Normograms demonstrated distinct age-related AFC values across all percentiles.

Conclusions:

• Age-related AFC normograms in infertile women without PCOS exhibit a biphasic decline.
• These normograms serve as a valuable reference for clinicians managing infertility.
• Longitudinal data validation is recommended for future refinement of these diagnostic tools.