Infertility Treatments
DHEA Treatment
DHEA treatment?
Recently, it has been suggested to use a medicine that contains the active ingredient dihydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) in order to “cure” high FSH.
High levels of FSH are the result of a low ovarian reserve rather than the cause, so trying to “cure” the high price of FSH is pointless and wrong and it most certainly will NOT help you to get pregnant.
What is DHEA and what does it benefit from?
DHEA – dihydroepiandrosterone – is a hormone that is converted to testosterone and estradiol by the body and can be considered as part of the infertility treatment. There are clinical studies in which DHEA has been found to be beneficial for women who have a decreased egg reserve or a poorer response to IVF drugs (poor responders).
The published studies in women with diminished ovarian reserve that had received DHEA supplement for up to two months there were indications BUT NO EVIDENCE that:
they became pregnant faster
had higher rates of sustained pregnancy
What side effects does DHEA have?
The side effects are usually mild and are due to its androgenic effect due to testosterone production and are:
acne
hair loss
hair growth on the face
What is the dose of DHEA and how long?
DHEA is taken as one 25 mg tablet three times a day. The effect of DHEA occurs relatively quickly (usually within six weeks). This is why, if the decision to take DHEA is taken, it is advisable to take it for six weeks before the in vitro fertilization cycle.
It is forbidden to receive DHEA as a fertility enhancer for women that are not following an IVF program.
Where can I buy DHEA?
The recommendation made by EOF (Hellenic Agency for Medicines) DOES NOT allow the use of this drug for fertility purposes as there is not sufficient scientific evidence to draw a clear conclusion about the use of DHEA for this condition.
In the United States, the use of DHEA has been licensed for fertility issues, whereas it is prohibited in the United Kingdom.
Dr. Ioannidis draws your attention and urges you not to receive medications arbitrarily on your own when the official instructions forbid them. The decision whether or not women suffering from premature ovarian failure and low ovarian response to IVF drugs should take DHEA has to be taken after informed briefing by medical experts of assisted reproduction.
Watch the speech of Dr. Ioannidis about modern treatments of poor ovarian response
Learn more about IVF on a natural cycle
Learn more about how to maintain your fertility at a young age
