Bone Marrow Transplantation to Promote Follicle Recruitment in Poor Ovarian Reserve

Women delay maternity and, as a consequence, available oocyte number and their quality decrease (9-18% of all IVF patients). Different treatment protocols have been developed nevertheless none of them optimal: the number of oocytes retrieved depends on the present ones. New generation of oocytes and follicles has been defended by some authors and bone marrow seems to be involved. What seems crucial is the niche that produces paracrine signals able to activate dormant cells and to attract undifferentiated cells from other tissues (homing). This phenomenon has been described by our group in other human reproductive tissues like endometrium. The purpose of the study is to improve ovarian reserve in unfertile women with poor ovarian reserve by means of bone marrow protective capacity. Bone marrow progenitor cells will be delivered into the ovarian artery allowing them to colonize ovarian niche. The study hypothesis is that bone marrow progenitor cells will improve ovarian reserve differentiating themselves into germ cells or, more likely, stimulating the niche to activate dormant follicles.