A woman with premature ovarian failure induced by Tripterygium wilfordii Hook.f. gives birth to a healthy child

Objective: To inform clinicians about the reproductive damage of Tripterygium wilfordii Hook.f. (TW) associated with subsequent premature ovarian failure. Design: Case report. Setting: Reproductive medicine center in a university-affiliated hospital. Patient(s): A 36-year-old infertile woman presenting amenorrhea and elevated FSH levels (65.56 mIU/mL) after using TW. Intervention(s): Estradiol valerate, two month course of oral contraceptives, GnRH agonist, stimulation cycle with urine FSH, triggered ovulation using 5000 IU of hCG and IVF-ET. Main Outcome Measure(s): Serum hormone levels, antral follicle count (AFC), oocyte retrieval number, embryo quality and birth. Result(s): Serum hormone levels and AFC of the POF woman were restored, and she gave birth to a healthy child after IVF-ET. Through IVF-ET she was found to have had oocyte and granulosa cell damage because of TW. Conclusion(s): This is a real-life manifestation of reproductive damage of TW. The medicamentous amenorrhea, hormone levels and AFC decline induced by TW are reversible, but oocyte and granulosa cell damage may be irreversible. This will help clinicians to avoid using TW for nulligravida. (Fertil Steril (R) 2011; 96: e19-21. (C) 2011 by American Society for Reproductive Medicine.)