Objective: To evaluate the ovarian reserve and follicular cohort of infertile patients with minimal/mild endometriosis.
Design: Prospective study.
Setting: University hospital.
Patient(s): Patients were divided into two groups: group I, minimal/mild endometriosis and group II, tubal obstruction. The following exclusion criteria were established: [1] patients with previous endocrine disorders; and [2] cases in which the cause for infertility was other than endometriosis (except for patients with tubal obstruction, in the control group).
Intervention(s): Serum FSH and anti-Müllerian hormone were measured on day 3. On the same day all patients were submitted to transvaginal ultrasound to evaluate the antral follicular count and the ovarian follicular cohort.
Main outcome measure(s): Serum FSH, anti-Müllerian hormone, and the follicular cohort with the respective antral follicular count.
Result(s): Serum FSH were not different between the groups. However, infertile patients with endometriosis have a decreased serum anti-Müllerian hormone (1.26 +/- 0.7 ng/mL) compared to the control group (2.02 +/- 0.72 ng/mL). The analysis of follicular cohort showed that the number of selectable follicles were similar, but the follicular diameter was different.
Conclusion(s): Minimal/mild endometriosis is associated with a decrease in the follicular ovarian reserve. In addition, the follicular cohort of these patients is more heterogeneous in comparison to the control group.