Prednisolone supplementation to Clomid and/or gonadotrophin stimulation for in-vitro fertilization--a prospective randomized trial.

In a prospective randomized trial, 73 patients received prednisolone, 7.5 mg daily, for one cycle in addition to Clomid and/or gonadotrophins, while another 73 patients were not given the corticosteroid. In-vitro fertilization (IVF) resulted in 16 versus six clinical pregnancies in the prednisolone and the non-prednisolone group, respectively (P less than 0.05). Oestrogen was significantly higher under prednisolone during the ovulatory phase, while LH was significantly lower. The adrenal androgen dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate was markedly depressed by prednisolone and testosterone was also markedly lower in the prednisolone group. A stress-related androgen excess might occur in some patients undergoing IVF with consequent cystic degeneration of some follicles as in polycystic ovarian disease. Prednisolone might counteract this detrimental effect by depressing adrenal and ovarian androgens.