Background:
Infertility affects around ۱۰-۱۵% of couples worldwide and is both a social and medical problem. Parental consanguinity is considered to reduce fertility reserve. Consanguineous marriages, especially first cousin marriages, are very common in Oman according to the data from the Oman National Health Survey.
Objective: This study aimed to determine whether women born to consanguineous parents have reduced ovarian reserve.
Materials and Methods: This cohort study was conducted on ۴۱۴ women aged ≤ ۳۹, treated for infertility at Sultan Qaboos University hospital and Royal hospital, Muscat, Oman from January ۲۰۱۹-December ۲۰۲۰. Each participant was interviewed and a complete history, including parental consanguinity and physical examination, were recorded. On day ۲ of the menstrual cycle, serum concentration of the following was performed: follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone, estradiol, prolactin, thyroid stimulating hormone, and anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH). AMH was done, if necessary, on other days of the cycle. Antral follicle count (AFC) was done on day ۲ and ۳ of the menstrual cycle.
Results: Of the ۴۱۴ women, parental consanguinity was present in ۴۰.۲% of couples. In women with low AFC, parental consanguinity was present in ۱۵.۳% compared to ۱۳.۰% in the non-consanguineous group. About ۱۵% of women with low AMH had consanguineous parents, compared to ۲۰.۲% from the non-consanguineous group. High levels of FSH were present in ۶.۵% and ۴.۲% of the consanguineous and non-consanguineous groups, respectively. No significant difference was observed in AFC with reference to body mass index.
Conclusion: The results from this study showed no statistically significant difference in low ovarian reserves (AFC, AMH, and FSH) in women whose parents had a consanguineous marriage.