Platelet wealthy plasma (PRP), which gained traction when the vampire facial rose to fame, could increase pregnancy rates.

The practice, which has also been utilized in dentistry and orthopedics, is gaining notoriety outside of the sweetness and dermatology space in universities and fertility centers, including Columbia University in Latest York City, for its promising results when used along side fertility treatments, specifically in vitro fertilization (IVF).

Columbia, which has offered PRP along side IVF for the past two years to review the consequences on fertility — with pregnancy rates increasing by 20 percent — is now conducting a randomized trial, wherein half of the patients receive PRP before an embryo transfer. (Patients enrolled within the control portion of the trial may receive PRP, if the embryo transfer is unsuccessful.) 

Much like the vampire facial, which has been utilized by the likes of Kim Kardashian, when implementing PRP during IVF, a medical skilled will draw the patient’s blood and spin it in a centrifuge device to separate the platelet wealthy plasma, which shall be placed within the uterus before the embryo transfer — typically 48 hours before — in an effort to extend the patient’s possibilities of pregnancy. 

“It’s really only been within the last five years or so, [fertility clinics have] been [PRP] from a fertility perspective to see, ‘Can it help women after they’re conceiving?’” said leading fertility expert, Dr. Jenna Turocy of Columbia University Fertility Center. 

This research comes on the heels of expansion within the fertility services market, because it is predicted to grow by $8.3 billion globally by 2027, in response to a report from Technavio. Moreover, about 19 percent of individuals of reproductive age experience fertility issues, in response to the CDC.

In accordance with Turocy, Columbia has seen success specifically with individuals who have thin endometrial lining and people who have undergone several unsuccessful rounds of IVF. 

“By giving them these extra growth aspects, we’ve seen that lining gets thicker after which [we] have higher pregnancy rates after we put the embryo in,” she said. “Other those that it could actually be really helpful for are the individuals who have had unsuccessful transfers before.” 

Turocy noted that oftentimes for a treatment like this to change into standard practice, it requires a minimum of one evidentiary trial. Several programs and trials have been conducted using PRP inside IVF, including the continued one at Columbia, that are showing higher pregnancy rates. 

“Unfortunately, it really is barely selective fertility centers which can be offering PRP at once. As we get more evidence — and the evidence is constructing that that is something that will be helpful for a minimum of certain groups of ladies — hopefully more centers will start offering it,” Turocy said. 

Latest Hope Fertility Center in Latest York, the Latest England Fertility Center in Connecticut and CNY Fertility, which has several locations across the U.S., currently offer PRP when using IVF. Nonetheless, at this point, the practice continues to be experimental and subsequently, not covered by insurance. 

“Insurance is normally a bit bit behind, where first we’d like the evidence. It must be there for a couple of years after which insurance may change their policies from there,” Turocy said. “Each fertility center could also be different of their costs. At Columbia, specifically, it’s $2,500 for PRP.” It’s free for those enrolled within the trial.