HIGH-DOSE, SHORT-TERM GLUCOCORTICOIDS FOR THE TREATMENT OF INFERTILITY RESULTING FROM PREMATURE OVARIAN FAILURE

Objective: To evaluate prospectively the effects of high-dose, short-t erm treatment with a glucocorticoid in an attempt to normalize ovarian failure and induce pregnancy in women presenting with infertility. De sign: Uncontrolled, nonrandomized prospective study. Setting: Two univ ersity-based reproductive endocrinology clinics. Patients: Eleven cons ecutive women with premature ovarian failure (POF) who were desirous o f pregnancy. Interventions: Prednisone 25 mg four times per day for 2 weeks. Main Outcome Measures: Two women demonstrated normalization of their serum gonadotropins, an increase of serum E2, and ultrasonograph ic visualization of follicular growth, with both conceiving. The other nine demonstrated no biochemical or clinical response. Conclusions: P remature ovarian failure may not be an irreversible process and may ei ther spontaneously resolve or may respond to therapeutic modalities su ch as high-dose glucocorticoids in selected patients. In this uncontro lled study, the results were best with women with concomitant autoimmu ne thyroid disease and POF of <2 years' duration.