Testosterone Supplementation for Diminished Ovarian Reserve to be Studied at New York Infertility Clinic

NEW YORK, NY, August 22, 2012 (Press-News.org) Center for Human Reproduction (CHR), a leading fertility research and treatment center in New York City, has announced a new prospectively randomized controlled clinical trial to investigate the effects of testosterone supplementation in women with diminished ovarian reserve (DOR).

The study is designed to determine whether transdermal (applied through the skin) supplementation with testosterone in women with DOR may (i) objectively improve ovarian reserve parameters, (ii) improve egg quality and embryo quality, and (iii) improve IVF pregnancy rates if testosterone levels have remained low after six weeks of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) supplementation.

CHR introduced DHEA supplementation for women with DOR to the infertility field in 2004, and this treatment is now utilized worldwide. More recently, CHR investigators were able to produce evidence that the efficacy of DHEA is very likely mediated by the male hormone testosterone, to which DHEA is mostly converted in the body. The new randomized controlled trial will investigate whether women whose testosterone levels do not rise well after DHEA supplementation may benefit from direct testosterone administration.

"This study took longer than usual to get off the ground after approval by our center's Institutional Review Board," noted David H. Barad, MD, one of the principal investigators and Director of the Center's Clinical Assisted Reproduction Program. "Since testosterone in this country is considered a controlled substance, we had to obtain permits from the State of New York and the Federal Government first."

Norbert Gleicher, MD, another principal investigator and Medical Director of CHR, adds: "Androgens, like DHEA, are becoming increasingly important tools in treating women of all ages with poor ovarian reserve. We are now on track to determine how this is best done most effectively and individualized to each patient."

About Center for Human Reproduction
The Center for Human Reproduction (CHR, http://www.centerforhumanreprod.com/), located in New York City, is one of the world's leading fertility centers. Because of its worldwide reputation as "fertility center of last resort," CHR has a worldwide patient following among women with DOR, whether due to advanced age, or due to premature ovarian aging (POA). Dr. Barad and Dr. Gleicher are available for further comments.