Current possibilities of nonhormonal ovarian function activation with low ovarian reserve

Dubinskaya E.D., Gasparov A.S., Krylova N.M., Dmitrieva N.V., Alyoshkina E.V., Ryazanova I.A.

RUDN University, Moscow, Russia
Patients with low ovarian reserve occupy a significant place in the pattern of an infertile marriage. Ovarian reserve is a clinical phenomenon caused by age, genetics, autoimmune mechanisms, and environmental factors. This term is used to describe the reproductive potential and to predict a response to controlled ovulation stimulation in assisted reproductive technology programs. According to a variety of data, the prevalence of low ovarian reserve varies from 5.6 to 35.1%. To date, little is known about the causes of diminished ovarian reserve and its risk factors except the iatrogenic factors associated with surgical intervention. From the clinical point of view, the low ovarian reserve group includes female patients with a poor ovarian response, those with premature ovarian failure, and late reproductive-aged women. Current strategies for controlled ovarian stimulation focus on growing follicles; in this case, dormant primordial follicles cannot be activated by the currently known stimulation protocols. The most successful outcome in patients with a poor response or ovarian insufficiency is pregnancy achieved using donor oocytes, but a large majority of the women think badly of these programs and are looking for alternative solutions. The literature review presents an update on the possibilities, features, and side effects of technologies for nonhormonal ovarian function activation with low ovarian reserve: autologous intraovarian platelet rich plasma (PRP) therapy, stem cell injections, and surgical ovarian activation.
Conclusion: Heterogeneity in study designs and data analysis does not yet allow the effectiveness of the technologies under consideration to be evaluated. For none of them, the exact mechanisms of action are still unknown. However, in our opinion, intraovarian PRP injection is the safest and most effective therapy. At the same time, the features of the technology and its effectiveness in various patient cohorts require further careful study.

Keywords

infertility
low ovarian reserve
premature ovarian failure
poor response
late reproductive age
nonhormonal ovarian function stimulation
PRP therapy

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Received 21.01.2022

Accepted 25.01.2022

About the Authors

Ekaterina D. Dubinskaya, Dr. Med. Sci., Professor of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology with a Course of Perinatology, RUDN University, +7(903)117-55-58,
eka-dubinskaya@yandex.ru, https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8311-0381, 117198, Russia, Moscow, Miklukho-Maklaya str., 8.
Alexander S. Gasparov, Dr. Med. Sci., Professor of the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Medicine, Faculty of Continuous Medical Education,
RUDN University, +7(499)450-35-87, 5454444@mail.ru, https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6301-1880, 117198, Russia, Moscow, Miklukho-Maklaya str., 8.
Nadezhda M. Krylova, Assistant at the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Medicine, Faculty of Continuing Medical Education, RUDN University, +7(915)421-29-40, Leonad2009@yandex.ru, 117198, Russia, Moscow, Miklukho-Maklaya str., 8.
Natalya V. Dmitrieva, Ph.D., reproductologist at the Clinic "I am healthy", Researcher at the clinical base of the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Medicine, RUDN University, +7(903)748-96-26, dmitrieva-doc@yandex.ru, 117198, Russia, Moscow, Miklukho-Maklaya str., 8.
Elizaveta V. Alyoshkina, Assistant of the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Medicine, Faculty of Continuing Medical Education, RUDN University, +7(926)768-44-27, alyoshkina.ev@yandex.ru, 117198, Russia, Moscow, Miklukho-Maklaya str., 8.
Irina A. Ryazanova, Assistant of the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Medicine, Faculty of Continuing Medical Education, RUDN University, +7(926)417-05-22, irina.ryazanova.doc@yandex.ru, 117198, Russia, Moscow, Miklukho-Maklaya str., 8.

Authors’ contributions: Dubinskaya E.D., Gasparov A.S. – development of the concept and design of the investigation, analysis of the findings, editing; Krylova N.M., Dmitrieva N.V., Alyoshkina E.V., Ryazanova I.A. – data collection, writing the text of the article.
Conflicts of interest: The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest.
Funding: The investigation has not been sponsored.
For citation: Dubinskaya E.D., Gasparov A.S., Krylova N.M.,
Dmitrieva N.V., Alyoshkina E.V., Ryazanova I.A.
Current possibilities of nonhormonal ovarian function activation with low ovarian reserve.
Akusherstvo i Ginekologiya/Obstetrics and Gynecology. 2022; 2: 37-44 (in Russian)
https://dx.doi.org/10.18565/aig.2022.2.37-44

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