Endometrioma-related reduction in ovarian reserve (ERROR): a prospective longitudinal study

To evaluate whether endometrioma is associated with a progressive decline in ovarian reserve, and to compare the rate of decline with natural decline in ovarian reserve.

Prospective, observational study.

Tertiary university hospital, endometriosis clinic.

Forty women with endometrioma and 40 age-matched healthy controls.

Women with endometriomas who did not need hormonal/surgical treatment at the time of recruitment and were expectantly managed. Controls were age-matched, healthy women. All participants underwent serum antimüllerian hormone (AMH) testing twice, 6 months apart. Sexually active patients with endometrioma also underwent antral follicle count.

Change in serum AMH levels.

Median (25th-75th percentile) serum AMH level at recruitment was 2.83 (0.70-4.96) ng/mL in the endometrioma group and 4.42 (2.26-5.57) ng/mL in the control group. The median percent decline in serum AMH level was 26.4% (11.36%-55.41%) in the endometrioma group and 7.4% (-11.98%, 29.33%) in the control groups. Twenty-two women with endometrioma who had antral follicle count (AFC) had median AFC of 10 (8-12) at recruitment and 8 (6.3-10) at 6 months.

Women with endometrioma experience a progressive decline in serum AMH levels, which is faster than that in healthy women.

NCT02438735.