The use of combined heparin/aspirin and immunoglobulin G therapy in the treatment of in vitro fertilization patients with antithyroid antibodies.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the effect of heparin/aspirin therapy alone vs. heparin/aspirin in combination with intravenous immuno-globulin (IVIg) immunotherapy on in vitro fertilization (IVF) outcome of patients who test positive for antithyroid antibodies (ATAs).


METHODS
Eighty-two women younger than 40 years of age whose infertility was related exclusively to female causes were evaluated. All tested positive for organ-specific antithyroid antibodies (antimicrosomal and/or antithyroglobulin antibodies), but negative for antiphospholipid antibodies. Thirty-seven of these women (group A) received H/A alone, whereas 45 (group B) received heparin/aspirin in combination with IVIg.


RESULTS
Ten (27%) of women in group A and 23 (51%) of women in group B achieved live births after completion of a single IVF/embryo transfer cycle (P = 0.027).


CONCLUSIONS
We conclude that IVIg therapy significantly improves IVF success rates in ATA+ women.
Sher
G
G
Pacific Fertility Medical Centers of California, Los Angeles 90024, USA.
Maassarani
G
G
Zouves
C
C
Feinman
M
M
Sohn
S
S
Matzner
W
W
Chong
P
P
Ching
W
W
D000328:Adult; D001241:Aspirin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004624:Embryo Transfer; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D006493:Heparin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007247:Infertility, Female / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000276:immunology*
D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D006493:Heparin; D001241:Aspirin