Enhancing Female Fertility with Male Hormones

    NEW YORK, NY, July 28, 2015 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Creating the ideal hormonal balance is vital for female fertility. Anti-Mullerian hormone, known as AMH, reflects the number of egg cells being recruited into the maturation process. As women age, their egg numbers and AMH levels decrease.

Researchers at New York's Center for Human Reproduction (CHR) discovered more than a decade ago that the male hormone (androgen) DHEA, a precursor of the main male hormone testosterone, counteracts these effects of ovarian aging to a significant degree. Since then, DHEA (and/or testosterone) supplementation of women with low ovarian reserve has become routine all over the world.

The US Patent and Trademark Office now issued CHR researchers their 6th patent for use of DHEA (and other androgens) supplementation in female infertility. This most recent patent involves creating optimum AMH levels in women over 38 years old approaching menopause prematurely.

Terms:
DHEA - dehydroepiandrosterone [de-HYDRO-epi-andro-STER-ohn])
AMH - anti-Mullerian hormone
IVF - in vitro fertilization
CHR - Center for Human Reproduction

The researchers/patent holders discovered the importance of DHEA by chance when a fertility patient (and co-patent holder) suddenly went from producing low numbers of viable egg cells during IVF to producing much better yields of high-quality eggs and embryos. The patient later confessed she had combed through the medical literature to find previously unexplored potential treatment options. She began self-administering DHEA without her physician's knowledge. Today, more than a third of the world's fertility clinics treat patients with DHEA. It all started at CHR with this one patient.

CHR's physicians and scientists have authored many peer-reviewed journal articles on this subject, and discuss AMH, DHEA, and hormonal balance in these links and on their website, www.centerforhumanreprod.com.

About Center for Human Reproduction

CHR, located in New York City, is one of the world's leading clinical and research centers in reproductive medicine and infertility. CHR has special expertise in treating women with low functional ovarian reserve, and pioneered many innovations that have become mainstays of infertility treatments worldwide. CHR's Medical Director and Chief Scientist, Norbert Gleicher, MD, and CHR's Clinical Director of Assisted Reproductive Technology, David H. Barad, MD, MS, are available for further comments. Contact: 212-994-4400 x.4492

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