A new study published in the journal, Human Reproduction, shows that latent genital tuberculosis (TB) can cause a decline in a woman’s egg count. While other studies have shown a that genital tuberculosis can cause tubal and uterine factor infertility, this is the first study to show a relationship between latent tuberculosis and low egg reserve.
The study was conducted at Shreyas Hospital, in Kolhapur, India. Researchers compared 431 infertile women with genital TB to 453 infertile women without TB. The women were between 21-38 years old and they were all confirmed to have patent fallopian tubes. Anti-mullerian hormone levels (AMH) and ultrasound measurement of antral follicle counts were used to measure ovarian reserve.
Even though the women in the genital TB group were younger, they were found to have lower antral follicle counts and 30% lower AMH levels compared to women without TB. The good news though is that in spite of having lower ovarian reserve, the women in the genital TB group, who had undergone standard anti-TB treatment, had higher pregnancy rates with various types of fertility treatment compared to the women in the group without TB. This is most likely due to the younger age of the women in the TB group.
Although this study was conducted in India, which has one of the highest TB rates worldwide, TB is a global disease. According to the World Health Organization, one-quarter of the world’s population has latent TB. In the United States, it is estimated that up to 13 million people have latent TB.
Given the high incidence of this disease, this study underlines the importance of early detection and treatment. As stated by Deepak Modi, scientist at National Institute of Research in Reproductive Health, Indian Council of Medical Research, “If latent TB is diagnosed and treated, some women may conceive with their own eggs and may not need IVF or egg donation.”