DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone)
Written by Fertility Decoded. Reviewed by D R, MS (OBG), FRM. Review date: 31 August 2026.
The verdict
Little to no effect on live birth or clinical pregnancy in poor responders — and if you're taking this on your own rather than as part of a monitored clinic protocol, that adds a supervision risk the underlying trials don't fully capture.
An androgen precursor, taken by women with diminished ovarian reserve / poor IVF response, months before a cycle. Appears in two different contexts on this site.
What the evidence shows
Cochrane (28 RCTs, ~3,000 women): DHEA pre-treatment likely results in little to no difference in live birth or clinical pregnancy for poor responders. No effect on miscarriage; multiple-pregnancy risk uncertain.
This entry frames SELF-DIRECTED use — a patient buying OTC DHEA on their own initiative, typically before or without clinic guidance. Self-dosing androgens without monitoring carries its own risk profile (androgenic side effects, no clinical supervision of dose/duration) that a clinic-administered protocol would normally manage.
Evidence tier
Cochrane review (weak)🔵 A Cochrane systematic review exists; evidence is low/very-low certainty.
Frequently asked questions
- Cochrane (28 RCTs, ~3,000 women) found it likely makes little to no difference to live birth or clinical pregnancy.
- Self-dosing androgens without monitoring adds a supervision risk (androgenic side effects, unmonitored dose) that a clinic protocol would manage — it should be clinic-supervised.
Does DHEA improve IVF success in poor responders?
Is it safe to take on my own?
Sources
Take this further
Sources last reviewed .