Impact of dehydroepiandrosterone on clinical outcome in poor responders: A pilot study in women undergoing in vitro fertilization, using bologna criteria

Padma Rekha Jirge, Shruti Mahesh Chougule, Vijayamala Gurudas Gavali, Deepali Atul Bhomkar, Padma Rekha Jirge, Shruti Mahesh Chougule, Vijayamala Gurudas Gavali, Deepali Atul Bhomkar

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the role of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) supplementation in women with poor ovarian response (POR) undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF).

Design: Prospective case-control study.

Setting: Private tertiary fertility clinic.

Materials and methods: 31 infertile women with POR diagnosed as per the Bologna criteria.

Interventions: DHEA supplementation for 2 months and a subsequent IVF cycle, after two previous IVF cycles with POR.

Main outcome measures: Dose and duration of gonadotropin therapy, oocyte yield, embryo number and quality, pregnancy and live birth rate.

Results: No difference was seen in gonadotropin requirement before and after DHEA supplementation. There was a significant increase in total and metaphase II oocytes (5.9 ± 0.68 vs. 2.73 ± 0.24; 4.45 ± 0.47 vs. 2.09 ± 0.26), fertilization (3.65 ± 0.49 vs. 2.00 ± 0.27), Grade I embryos (1.52 ± 0.25 vs. 0.55 ± 0.18), pregnancy rate (30% vs. 9.1%) and live birth rate (25% vs 0%) in those who completed the cycle, following DHEA supplementation.

Conclusions: Dehydroepiandrosterone supplementation results in an improvement in oocyte yield, embryo quality, and live birth rate in a group of women with POR having undergone at least two previous failures due to POR.

Keywords: Bologna criteria; Poor ovarian response; dehydroepiandrosterone supplementation; embryo quality; live birth rate.

Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest: None declared.

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