Levels of a hormone when measured in hair can significantly predict the likelihood of pregnancy in women undergoing in vitro fertilisation (IVF) treatment, scientists at The ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ have revealed.
The new study, funded by Nurture Fertility (ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½) and published today in Psychoneuroendocrinology, found that elevated levels of the so-called ‘stress hormone’ cortisol measured in hair were associated with almost a third less chance of conceiving.
This technique enables doctors to measure cumulative hormonal function over the previous 3-6 months and, as such, provides a more reliable measure of hormonal function compared to other techniques using saliva, blood and urine that measure only short term levels of the hormone.
School of Medicine The ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ Queen's Medical Centre, D Floor, East Block ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½, NG7 2UH
telephone: +44 (0) 115 823 1000 email:anne.whitchurch@nottingham.ac.uk