Prednisone and Aspirin Improve Pregnancy Rate in Patients with Reproductive Failure and Autoimmune Antibodies: A Prospective Study

Authors: GEVA, ELI; AMIT, AMI; LERNER-GEVA, LIAT; YARON, YUVAL; DANIEL, YAIR; SCHWARTZ, TAMAR; AZEM, FOAD; YOVEL, ISRAEL; LESSING, JOSEPH B.

Source: American Journal of Reproductive Immunology, Volume 43, Number 1, January 2000 , pp. 36-40(5)

Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell

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Abstract:

PROBLEM: The study was conducted to investigate the efficacy of prednisone and aspirin in autoantibody seropositive patients with repeated in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET) failure. METHODS OF STUDY: The study group comprised 52 consecutive patients seropositive for non-organ-specific autoantibodies, i.e., anti-cardiolipin antibodies (ACA), anti-nuclear antibodies (ANA), anti-double-stranded (ds) DNA, rheumatoid factor (RF), and lupus anti-coagulant (LAC). These patients were treated with prednisone, 10 mg per day, and aspirin, 100 mg per day, starting 4 weeks before induction of ovulation in 52 IVF cycles. RESULTS: The clinical pregnancy rate per cycle was 32.7% (17/52). No increased incidence of pregnancy complications, including premature labor, gestational diabetes mellitus, and pregnancy-induced hypertension, were found. CONCLUSIONS: Combined treatment of prednisone for immunosupression and aspirin as an anti-thrombotic agent, starting before ovulation induction, may improve pregnancy rate in autoantibody seropositive patients who have had repeated IVF-ET failures.

Keywords: Anti-cardiolipin; autoantibodies; autoimmunity; IVF failure; pregnancy rate

Document Type: Original article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.8755-8920.2000.430107.x

Publication date: 2000-01-01