Women's age and total motile normal morphology sperm count predict fecundability: a prospective cohort study.

Mei Ting Lam, Hang Wun Raymond Li, Ching Yin Grace Wong, William Shu Biu Yeung, Pak Chung Ho, Ernest Hung Yu Ng

BMJ sexual & reproductive health 2020 Oct

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This study investigated the role of women's age, serum anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) level and semen parameters in predicting fecundability. This was a prospective cohort study on couples attending for preconceptional health check. Occurrence of conception at 1 year after ceasing contraception and time to pregnancy were noted by telephone follow-up. The women's age, serum AMH level and total motile normal morphology sperm count (TMNC) were compared between those who conceived and those who did not after 1 year; their independent predictive value on conception at 1 year was analysed by logistic regression. Among those conceiving within 1 year, Spearman's correlations between time to pregnancy and the clinical parameters were studied. Of the 100 couples analysed, we found younger age of the women (p=0.008), higher serum AMH level (p=0.038) and higher TMNC (p=0.015) in those that conceived within 1 year. Multivariate logistic regression found that women's age (OR 0.867, 95% CI 0.761 to 0.988, p=0.032) and TMNC (OR 1.089, 95% 1.001-1.185, p=0.047), but not serum AMH level, significantly predicted conception within 1 year. Among those that conceived within 1 year, none of the parameters analysed were correlated with time to pregnancy within 1 year. Women's age and TNMC are significant independent predictors of conception within 1 year. No parameter was shown to predict the time to pregnancy within 1 year. This finding can aid preconceptional counselling of couples who are planning for pregnancy. © Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2020. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.

Citation

Mei Ting Lam, Hang Wun Raymond Li, Ching Yin Grace Wong, William Shu Biu Yeung, Pak Chung Ho, Ernest Hung Yu Ng. Women's age and total motile normal morphology sperm count predict fecundability: a prospective cohort study. BMJ sexual & reproductive health. 2020 Oct;46(4):279-286