Platelet-rich plasma another add-on treatment getting out of hand? How can clinicians preserve the best interest of their patients?

Abstract

Add-on treatments in IVF are utilized to a great extent but without sufficient evidence showing their effectiveness. Since the offered treatments are usually costly and may be associated with yet unknown risks, this practice is not in the best interest of couples that may go to great lengths to conceive and have an offspring carrying their own genetic make-up. A recent addition to this armamentarium is the administration of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) in women with diminished ovarian reserve, implantation failures, and a thin endometrium. The only evidence for PRP comes from small scale and mostly before and after studies with clinically irrelevant end points. PRP has not been subjected to a rigorous clinical trial. It is a typical example of an add-on gaining widespread popularity based on biological plausibility and mind-bending theoretical presumptions. We should be extremely cautious prior to implementing PRP on a widescale and await the results of well-designed studies.