Lipoic Acid Supplementation in IVF

Summary

Alpha-Lipoic Acid (ALA) is a natural molecule that can make a significant contribution to the success of embryo implantation phase, because it exerts, directly or indirectly, an immunomodulatory activity. ALA has the ability to regenerate antioxidants molecules that facilitate embryo implantation, and to stimulate the production of local mediators useful for implantation. This study is a prospective clinical trial and aims to evaluate the reproductive outcomes of Italian couples following oocyte donation fresh cycles when receiving per os tablets of lipoic acid. Indeed, the control group had only the standard treatment (vaginal progesterone), whereas the study group, in addition to that, received ALA (300 mg, 2 times per day) by oral route, from the day of donors oocyte pick up until the pregnancy test. If the childbearing occurred, treatment continued until the 8th week of pregnancy. Primary outcome of the study is the implantation rate while the positive hCG rate, the clinical pregnancy rate, the miscarriage rate and the live-birth rate are secondary outcomes .

Timeline

Start

2015-03

Primary completion

2016-06

Completion

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Publications

• Background Monastra G, De Grazia S, Cilaker Micili S, Goker A, Unfer V. Immunomodulatory activities of alpha lipoic acid with a special focus on its efficacy in preventing miscarriage. Expert Opin Drug Deliv. 2016 Dec;13(12):1695-1708. doi: 10.1080/17425247.2016.1200556. Epub 2016 Jun 24.
• Background Cha J, Sun X, Dey SK. Mechanisms of implantation: strategies for successful pregnancy. Nat Med. 2012 Dec;18(12):1754-67. doi: 10.1038/nm.3012.

Drugs

Indications