PRP Injections for Infertility: The Jury Is Still Out

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections have come a long way since they were first introduced as a treatment for soft tissue injuries. They have worked well enough in the soft tissue arena that researchers are now looking into using them to help couples dealing with infertility. Perhaps they could improve the odds of in vitro fertilization (IVF). However, the jury is still out on this one.

Research into PRP injections to improve IVF success rates are just getting started in earnest. According to a recent piece on the HuffPost website, researchers have injected PRP into both the uterus and ovaries. Results have been mixed to date. It goes without saying that PRP injections for fertility are still considered experimental.

The Basic Principle Behind PRP Therapy

Human blood contains a variety of constituents that are critical to human life. The basic PRP principal is to utilize what the blood naturally provides to help encourage the natural healing process. Of particular interest are the growth factors found in blood. PRP therapy takes advantage of them.

A typical PRP procedure begins with a simple blood draw. It is no different than drawing blood for lab tests. The blood is spun at high speed in a specialized centrifuge that separates plasma and platelets from the rest of the blood. Those growth factors you previously read about are in the plasma. What you’re left with is a plasma material with an exceptionally high concentration of platelets and growth factors.

The platelets and growth factors signal to the body that additional healing needs to take place. This is what makes PRP injections so effective for soft tissue injuries. Injecting the concentrated material directly into the site of injury encourages the body to heal that injury.

What It’s Normally Used For

As previously stated, PRP therapy is not normally utilized to enhance IVF. It is most commonly utilized to treat sports injuries and related conditions. Pulled muscles, damaged tendons and ligaments, and other sorts of injuries are at the top of the list. In fact, some of the most well-known recipients of PRP therapy are professional athletes.

PRP injections are not limited to a single sport. Athletes ranging from professional golfers to baseball players and professional soccer players competing on the world stage have all turned to PRP injections to get them on the field faster and with more complete healing.

The therapy has also been used successfully to treat hair loss, particularly alopecia. It is utilized by aesthetic physicians to help slow down the effects of aging in the skin. Truly any condition involving soft tissue is a good candidate for PRP injections.

The Thinking With Infertility

Turning back to the infertility question, the thinking is that PRP injected into the uterus could help solve the problem of insufficient endometrial growth that doesn’t allow a fertilized egg to be firmly implanted. Meanwhile, injecting PRP into the ovaries may improve folic al response and lead to more eggs being produced.

Couples interested in trying PRP therapy to improve the chances of successful IVF should know that insurance companies do not cover the cost. Because PRP therapy is considered experimental, patients need to foot the bill out of pocket.

Future research may one day show that PRP therapy can help couples struggling within fertility. For now, though, the jury is still out. It is going to take at least several more years and additional research to understand if the therapy works. Couples that do choose to utilize it can rest comfortably in the fact that PRP therapy is safe. It is minimally invasive and poses little risk of complications.