Combined treatment of prednisone and aspirin, starting before ovulation induction, may improve reproductive outcomes in ANA-positive patients

Labeled problem: Antinuclear antibody (ANA) could cause reproductive failure. But treatment for women with antinuclear antibody was controversial. Methods: One hundred and thirty-three ANA+ women with one-time in vitro fertilization (IVF) implantation failure were divided into two groups randomly. The study group comprised 60 sero--positive for antinuclear antibody. These patients were treated with prednisone (10 mg/day) and aspirin (100 mg/day) starting 3 months before induction of ovulation in 60 IVF cycles. Seventy-three patients were included in untreated group. Results: Fertilization rate, pregnancy rate, and implantation rate were significantly higher in treatment group, while abortion rate was markedly higher in non-treatment group by randomized controlled trial. Same conclusions were also proved between cycles of 60 ANA+ women with therapy and their former cycles without any treatment. Conclusion: Combined treatment of prednisone for immunosuppression and aspirin as an antithrombotic agent, starting 3 months before ovulation induction, may improve reproductive outcomes in ANA+ patients.