The use of combined heparin/aspirin and immunoglobulin G therapy in the treatment of in vitro fertilization patients with antithyroid antibodies

PROBLEM: To compare the effect of heparin/aspirin therapy alone vs. heparin/aspirin in combination with intravenous immuno-globulin (IVIg) immunotherapy on in vitro fertilization (IVF) outcome of patients who test positive for antithyroid antibodies (ATAs). METHOD OF STUDY: Eighty-two women younger than 40 years of age whose infertility was related exclusively to female causes were evaluated. All tested positive for organ-specific antithyroid antibodies (antimicrosomal and/or antithyroglobulin antibodies), but negative for antiphospholipid antibodies. Thirty-seven of these women (group A) received H/A alone, whereas 45 (group B) received heparin/aspirin in combination with IVIg. RESULTS: Ten (27%) of women in group A and 23 (51%) of women in group B achieved live births after completion of a single IVF/embryo transfer cycle (P = 0.027). CONCLUSION: We conclude that IVIg therapy significantly improves IVF success rates in ATA+ women.