Does dehydroepiandrosterone have any benefit in fertility treatment?

Androgens and particularly dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) have been advocated as adjuncts to ovarian stimulation in women with diminished ovarian reserve. Given the limited number of options in these women it is understandable that both physicians and patients resort to treatments that are not evidence based.

DHEA is such an adjunct and has been recently used extensively in women responding poorly to gonadotropins and women of advanced age seeking treatment with assisted reproductive techniques. Although androgens may be biologically plausible, current evidence is not sufficient to prove their effectiveness.

Until well designed studies show a beneficial effect of DHEA supplementation in women with a diminished ovarian reserve, its widespread use should be discouraged. The patients should be counseled regarding the experimental nature of such a treatment.