Acupuncture Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Acupuncture, including details on alternative medicine, uses, benefits, treatment, chinese medicine.

Increased oocyte production after treatment with dehydroepiandrosterone.

Barad DH, Gleicher N

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Women's Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, New York, USA. dbarade@theCHR.com

OBJECTIVE: To describe a case of dramatically improved ovarian reserve in a 42.7-year-old woman who was using the dietary supplement dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) as well as acupuncture. DESIGN: Case report. SETTING: Private IVF center. PATIENT(S): A 42.7-year-old patient with initial severely decreased ovarian reserve. INTERVENTION(S): Serial ovulation induction with concomitant use of DHEA dietary supplementation as well as acupuncture. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Peak E2 concentration, oocytes retrieved, and cyropreservable embryos. RESULT(S): In her first treatment cycle peak E2 was 1,211 pmol/mL. After seven months of DHEA supplementation her peak E2 in cycle 8 was > 18,000 pmol/mL. Because of fear of hyperstimulation we reduced her gonadotropin stimulation by 25%. In the ninth cycle peak E2 was 9,178 pmol/mL, resulting in retrieval of 17 oocytes (16 embryos). In the last 11 months the patient has undergone nine treatment cycles while continuously and dramatically improving her ovarian response and banking of 66 embryos overall. CONCLUSION(S): This case illustrates the possibility that ovarian function may be salvaged, even in women of advanced reproductive age.

Published 19 September 2005 in Fertil Steril, 84(3): 756.
Full-text of this article is available online (may require subscription).

© 2004-2008 Acupuncture Research Today. All Rights Reserved.