Researchers from a major Chinese university explored whether prednisolone could boost the success rate of in vitro fertilization, focusing on a group of women with a history of recurrent implantation failure. The study set out to determine if adding prednisolone would meaningfully improve pregnancy outcomes and birth rates in a controlled setting. The findings were reported in a leading medical journal that regularly features large randomized trials in reproductive medicine.
The trial enrolled 715 women who had experienced two or more unsuccessful embryo transfers after IVF across eight fertility centers. Participants were randomly assigned to two groups: 357 received prednisolone at a daily 10 mg dose starting from the day endometrial preparation began for embryo transfer, while 358 received a placebo. The design aimed to mirror real clinical scenarios where corticosteroids are sometimes prescribed in hopes of enhancing endometrial receptivity and embryo implantation.
In terms of live birth outcomes, the analysis showed comparable results between the two arms. Live births occurred in 37.8 percent of women in the prednisolone group and 38.8 percent in the placebo group, indicating no meaningful advantage from prednisolone in this specific patient population. The incidence of premature birth was reported as 5.5 percent in the prednisolone group compared with 11.8 percent in the placebo group, a difference that warrants careful interpretation in the context of overall perinatal health but did not translate into broad improvement across other pregnancy complications. There were no statistically significant differences found between the two groups regarding mean infant birth weight or other measured perinatal outcomes.
The researchers noted that while some earlier observations hinted at potential risks or benefits associated with corticosteroid use during IVF cycles, the current trial did not support a clear clinical advantage for prednisolone in cases of repeated implantation failure. The authors stressed that this evidence adds to a growing body of data suggesting that routine use of prednisolone in IVF protocols may not be justified and could carry risks such as altered birth timing or pregnancy biochemistry that do not translate into higher live birth rates. Clinicians are encouraged to weigh the new findings against individual patient circumstances, considering alternative strategies to support implantation and pregnancy in women with a history of recurrent implantation failure. The study thus contributes to a more cautious and evidence-based approach to the use of steroids in fertility treatment, highlighting the need for personalized care and ongoing research to identify subgroups that might benefit from specific interventions while avoiding unnecessary exposure to medications with unclear or potential adverse effects.