Ovarian cortex cryopreservation

This is indicated when there is no time to perform ovarian stimulation due to the need to start gonadotoxic treatment of the patient quickly. It is also used when the administration of hormones is contraindicated (due to the type of disease experienced) or if the patient has not yet started menstruation (prepuberty).  

This is currently considered an experimental technique, although there is more and more experience with it and more children are being born after its use.

How it is performed?

It consists of freezing the ovary cortex (where the follicles are) following surgery (laparoscopy). After recovering from the disease, another operation is performed. The tissue is thawed and re-implanted to recover its function, to try to achieve a pregnancy; either naturally or through in vitro fertilisation.  

What happens next?

In recent years, ovarian tissue cryopreservation techniques have improved dramatically. A recently published pregnancy rate, after the use of the tissue, showed success in 33% of cases.