An audit of clinical outcomes following ovarian administration of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) in women with severe diminished ovarian reserve

Background Infertility caused by poor oocyte quality is one of the most difficult areas to manage. While oocyte donation is an effective treatment, for most women it is a treatment of last resort. Ovarian platelet-rich plasma (PRP) treatment is a relatively new adjunct therapy which has been reported to possibly improve oocyte quality and in vitro fertilisation (IVF) treatment outcomes in women with severe diminished ovarian reserve. Aims To audit IVF and pregnancy outcomes following ovarian PRP treatment in a cohort of women under 45 years of age with severe diminished ovarian reserve and previous IVF treatment failure. Methods An audit of 20 consecutive patients comparing embryology outcomes before and after ovarian PRP treatment, together with assessment of PRP-related pregnancies and treatment complications. Results Overall, PRP treatment produced no significant improvement in oocyte number, but did increase the number of embryos generated compared to patients' own pre-PRP IVF cycle (zero vs two embryos, P = 0.005). In total four patients conceived viable genetically normal pregnancies in their next IVF cycle, and a further two conceived naturally within 4 months of the PRP treatment. Five of these pregnancies were in women 40 years or older, all being euploid on non-invasive pregnancy screening and viable beyond 12 weeks gestation. No operative complications were observed. Conclusion Ovarian PRP treatment appears to be low risk and may offer some promise in assisting pregnancy (natural and IVF-related), especially in women with reduced oocyte quality due to advanced maternal age. Future randomised controlled trials are urgently required to confirm this benefit.

Automated summary

Ovarian platelet-rich plasma treatment may improve oocyte quality and IVF treatment outcomes, especially for women with poor oocyte quality due to advanced maternal age.