New Research Explains How DHEA Supplementation Improves Embryo Quality

NEW YORK, NY, December 15, 2010 (Press-News.org) In 2005, the Center for Human Reproduction (CHR) first introduced dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) supplementation to the infertility field and reported that DHEA had increased egg numbers in women with "older" ovaries going through IVF treatment (Fertility and Sterility). CHR researchers have since reported that DHEA treatment has much broader benefits in the treatment of female infertility - a finding recently confirmed by a study from Israel.

A recent worldwide survey of in vitro fertilization (IVF) centers concluded that approximately one-third have introduced DHEA supplementation into their treatment regimens for women with so-called diminished ovarian reserve.

Investigators at CHR now report to have elucidated at least one of the mechanisms by which DHEA exerts beneficial effects on egg and embryo quality, thereby improving pregnancy chances and reducing miscarriages after IVF. The mechanism involves improvement of chromosomal integrity of embryos.

It is well known that as women age, the risk of chromosomal abnormalities in pregnancies and offspring increases. Most chromosomal abnormalities in embryos result in miscarriages. Collaborating in 2009 with colleagues from Toronto, Canada, investigators from CHR reported unexpectedly low spontaneous miscarriage rates in pregnancies conceived on DHEA supplementation (Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology). They suspected that such low miscarriage rates had to be the consequence of lower aneuploidy (chromosomal abnormalities), but proof was lacking.

In a recently published study, investigators from CHR now, for the first time, confirmed that DHEA reduces chromosomal abnormalities (aneuploidy) in embryos through preimplantation genetic screening (PGS). The greatest reduction in aneuploidy (22%) was observed with 4-12 weeks of DHEA supplementation prior to IVF.

Norbert Gleicher, MD, lead authors of the study, and CHR's Medical Director, comments: "This is the first direct evidence that DHEA beneficially affects egg and embryo quality by reducing chromosomal abnormalities." He continues: "It appears likely, however, that this is not the only way by which DHEA exerts its positive effects on older ovaries. Indeed, DHEA may only be a forerunner for a whole new family of infertility drugs, which, ultimately, still may allow older women to conceive through well-designed infertility treatments."

David H. Barad, MD, MS, second lead authors and Clinical Director of CHR's IVF Program, adds: "Our finding may have implications far beyond infertility because it suggests that beneficial effects of DHEA supplementation on embryos' chromosomal health could also be extended to normally fertile older women." DHEA supplementation, like taking folic acid to prevent neural tube defects, could become routine in prenatal care.

CHR is an internationally known fertility center in New York City, well recognized for special clinical expertise with infertility treatments for "older" ovaries and for its research on ovarian aging. Drs. Gleicher and Barad are available for further information.

About Center for Human Reproduction
Center for Human Reproduction, or CHR, is a leading fertility center in the United States with a worldwide reputation as a "fertility center of last resort." They treat a variety of causes including aging ovaries, endometriosis, hormonal, surgical, unexplained infertility and more. Under the leadership of Drs. Norbert Gleicher and David H. Barad, CHR has pioneered the use of DHEA supplementation in treating infertility. For more information, please visit centerforhumanreprod.com.

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