Only female age, and not blood type, is associated with ovarian reserve

The association between blood types and ovarian reserve is investigated in this study.

As an index of ovarian reserve, women with a follicle stimulat- ing hormone (FSH) level of ≥10 mIU/ml in the early follicular phase were designated as having diminished ovarian reserve. In this prospective study, early follicular phase serum FSH and estradiol levels and blood types were evaluated in 500 patients who were admitted to the Infertility Department of Ministry of Health Etlik Zübeyde Hanım Women's Health Training and Research Hospital between January 2012 and June 2012. Women with serum FSH level <10 mIU/ml formed group I, and women with serum FSH ≥10 mIU/ml formed group II. The prevalence of blood types in each group and their associa- tion with ovarian reserve were analyzed.

Out of 500 patients, 438 women were in group I, while 62 women were in group II. There was no statistically significant difference among the two groups in terms of blood group proportions (p=0.69), this did not change after age adjustment (p=0.77). The presence of A antigen (in A and AB blood type) (p=0.91), the blood type O (p=0.70), and the blood type B (p=0.51) were not statistically related to ovarian reserve after age adjustment. There was also no statistically significant correlation between rhesus factor and ovarian reserve after age adjustment (p=0.83). The only factor that affected ovarian reserve was age of patients (p=0.006).

Blood groups do not constitute a risk or protective factor for ovarian reserve. Therefore, blood groups do not have any predictive value in evaluating ovarian reserve.