Clinical application of serum anti-Müllerian hormone in women / 대한생식의학회지

Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH), a peptide growth factor of the transforming growth factor-β family, is a reliable marker of ovarian reserve. Regarding assisted reproductive technology, AMH has been efficiently used as a marker to predict ovarian response to stimulation. The clinical use of AMH has recently been extended and emphasized. The uses of AMH as a predictive marker of menopause onset, diagnostic tool for polycystic ovary syndrome, and assessment of ovarian function before and after gynecologic surgeries or gonadotoxic agents such as chemotherapy have been investigated. Serum AMH levels can also be affected by environmental and genetic factors; thus, the effects of factors that may alter AMH test results should be considered. This review summarizes the findings of recent studies focusing on the clinical application of AMH and factors that influence the AMH level and opinions on the use of the AMH level to assess the probability of conception before reproductive life planning as a “fertility test.”

Effects of Parity and Breast Feeding Duration on the Risk of Osteoporosis in Postmenopausal Korean Women: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

OBJECTIVES: To summarize the evidence regarding the association of parity and breast feeding duration with the risk of osteoporosis in postmenopausal Korean women. This was because studies have been inconsistent regarding the effect of parity and breast feeding duration on the risk of osteoporosis. METHODS: A systematic literature search of relevant studies published by December 26, 2018 was conducted in PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, CINAHL, RISS, KISS, KMbase, and KoreaMed. Outcome estimates of odds ratio (OR) or standardized mean difference were pooled with fixed or random-effect model. In case of heterogeneity, subgroup analysis was conducted. RESULTS: Seven cross-sectional studies (with 3,813 subjects) were included in the analysis. OR for osteoporosis was 1.43 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.09–1.88, P = 0.010) in postmenopausal women with higher parity compared to those with less parity. Moreover, OR for osteoporosis was 1.93 (95% CI = 1.28–2.93, P = 0.002) in postmenopausal women with longer durations of breast feeding than in those with shorter durations of breast feeding. CONCLUSIONS: This study revealed that duration of breast feeding increased the risk of osteoporosis in postmenopausal Korean women. More cohort studies with high quality research designs are needed to confirm our results.