Media Blog
Blog topic: Research at CHR
CHR’s research program has been as active as ever. Interesting new data and information are available on the following topics:
1. DHEA for "aged" ovaries:
CHR has pioneered the utilization of DHEA in women with “older” ovaries. Investigators at the center now have the first evidence that DHEA directly improves ovarian reserve. An over-the-counter drug, DHEA has quietly revolutionized treatments of aging ovaries all over the world.
2. Improving ovarian assessment:
Various tests are utilized to assess so-called ovarian reserve. All of these tests, however, are used with rigid cut off values, which do not consider age. Ovarian reserve declines as women age. Normal values, therefore, should change with advancing female age.
CHR investigators have now established age-specific cut off values for FSH and AMH, the two most frequently utilized ovarian reserve tests. This allows for a more accurate assessment of ovarian reserve, which represents, likely, the singlemost important parameter of any infertility evaluation.
3. Predicting premature ovarian aging:
Approximately 10% of all women are believed to prematurely age their ovaries. Especially in milder cases, this diagnosis is even in competent fertility centers frequently overlooked, unless, as CHR investigators reported already in 2007, age-specific ovarian reserve tests (see above) are utilized. Different causes of premature ovarian aging have been known for some time. CHR investigators, however, recently demonstrated that a considerable portion of such cases relates to the so-called fragile X (FMR1) gene.
Indeed, investigators have now been able to develop a test, which predicts who may be at risk towards premature ovarian aging based on this genetic etiology. This test allows young women a peak into their reproductive future. Should the test suggest that they may be at increased risk towards premature ovarian aging, they can be monitored more closely. Once a patient is confirmed to prematurely age, she can adjust her reproductive planning and/or take steps to preserve her fertility, such as egg or embryo cryopreservation.
4. Fertility preservation for young cancer patient:
CHR offers the largest fertility preservation program for young cancer patients in New York City, and possibly the whole country. As cancer survival is continuing to improve, fertility preservation for survivors of cancer becomes an increasingly important topic. chemo- and radiation therapies can very adversely affect reproductive capacity in women and men. Since therapies are usually initiated shortly after diagnosis, in most cases there is little time to take fertility preserving steps. Moreover, clinical oncologists are often hesitant to add additional burdens to already overstressed patients and families.
Availability of well functioning support set ups are, therefore, essential. Moreover, since many fertility preservation treatments are still considered experimental, centers have to have the ability to offer such experimental services.
Media contact: 212-994-4400 x.4491
CHR's Media Blog is a compilation of potential story ideas gathered from infertility-related news, our research, and our opinion to facilitate open communication with the public on this increasingly relevant field of medicine.
Editors, reporters and producers are invited to contact CHR for background or clarification on any content posted here. Also, our team of fertility experts has considerable experience providing comments for publication on infertility-related subjects and participating on broadcast panels to share our expertise.
