Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is becoming more popular as a nonoperative treatment option for a broad spectrum of medical disorders. The last 20 years PRP is widely used in plastic surgery,dermatology,neurology ,cardiac surgery and lately is used in gynaecology and reproductive medicine.
What is PRP?
Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) treatment is an (autologous) blood fraction with high platelet aggregation. It is a modern treatment in the field of health, which undertakes the activation and strengthening of the body’s natural capacity to regenerate and recreation its tissues and organs.
After each injury that causes hemorrhage, the platelets release specific growth factors that control the inflammatory process, prevent and fight infections immediately, causing the healing process to complete tissue repair. Autologus treatment with PRP is based on the reversal of the red blood cell – platelets ratio, reducing red blood cells to 5% – which are less useful in the healing process – and increasing the platelet concentration to 94%. The remaining plasma has a 5- to 10-fold higher concentration of growth factors(PGDF,TGF-Β1,TGF-Β2,PDEGF,PDAF,PF-4,GMP-140,IL-1FGF,ILGF) than whole blood.
Thus, when the PRP is exogenously given to a part of the body, it will directly lead to the regeneration of its cells.
Women with premature menopause, poor or no response to IVF medication trying to have a baby might benefit from PRP treatment with aim to rejuvenate their ovaries so they can produce eggs.
Candidates for treatment with PRP
- Women with premature ovarian failure
- Women who are poor responders during IVF treatment with low ovarian reserve and low AMH(antimullerhian hormone)
- Women with early perimenopause
- Women with repeated implantation failures and thin endometrium(less than 7mm).In these cases we insert PRP inside the uterine cavity before embryo transfer.
Is it safe for the woman?
Because PRP is derived from woman”s own blood there is no danger of transmission of infectious diseases and allergic reactions.
How is PRP injected into the ovaries?
In amenorrhic women it can be performed any time.. Women who have periods usually have this procedure performed in the first days of the cycle.
1) First, we take 10 ml of blood . Blood is then centrifuged to separate white blood cells and platelets from red blood cells.
2) Once PRP has been prepared, is injected into the ovaries transvaginally like in oocyte retrieval.
This procedure is performed under light sedation, lasts about 20 minutes and then the woman can return to her daily activities. Then she is monitored(with hormonal tests FSH,LH AMH and ultrasound) every 4 weeks for 6 months to check the effectiveness of the treatment .
In our clinic we perform PRP in specific cases with very good results.
