Ovarian Tissue Freezing Basics

Ovarian tissue freezing lets a woman freeze hundreds – if not thousands – of her eggs for future use in family planning. The ovarian tissue freezing procedure is performed by laparoscopy to remove tissue from the outer membrane of a woman’s ovary. Later, this ovarian tissue is re-implanted and regains its function by producing eggs naturally. As a new and cutting-edge method offered by New Hope Fertility Center’s Division of Fertility Preservation – ovarian tissue freezing is growing in popularity for women.

Candidates for Ovarian Tissue Freezing

Ovarian tissue freezing can be performed on very short notice – unlike egg and embryo freezing alternatives. There are many females who should consider ovarian tissue freezing.

• Female children who do not have fully developed ovaries
• Female children or teenage girls who have been diagnosed with cancer
• Women in their prime reproductive years who have been diagnosed with cancer
• Women wanting to postpone motherhood past their prime reproductive years
• Women wanting to donate their ovarian tissue to help women who are unable to produce good eggs

The National Institutes of Health reported that [h]uman ovarian tissue transplantation has resulted in the birth of over 70 children worldwide. Preserving female fertility through ovarian tissue freezing is trending today because it is a proven safe and successful procedure. According to a 2015 study published in the journal of Human Reproduction, 10 out of 32 women facing chemotherapy were able to conceive naturally after undergoing ovarian tissue freezing before cancer treatment.

Preserving Future Fertility

The fertility specialists at New Hope Fertility Center in NYC provide all-encompassing cryopreservation techniques for protecting the fertility of both women and men.

• Ovarian Tissue Freezing
• Egg (oocyte cryopreservation) and embryo freezing
• Sperm freezing

Ovarian Tissue Freezing Process

The outer membrane of an ovary is where a woman’s eggs are located. Through laparoscopy, a thin piece of the outer membrane of a woman’s ovarian tissue is removed. This ovarian tissue is cryopreserved for later transplant to the woman’s other ovary – the non-preserved ovary.

Ovarian Tissue Transplant

At some determined time in her future, a woman’s fertility can be readily restored and she can naturally have a baby.

• The woman’s frozen ovarian tissue is retrieved from cryopreservation and thawed
• The ovarian tissue is transplanted to the patient’s ovary through simple stitching in an outpatient procedure involving minimal pain
• The ovarian tissue comes to life and begins to function normally – as though it were never removed
• The woman can then conceive naturally without the need for In Vitro Fertilization (IVF)

Convenient Conception Options Post-Ovarian Tissue Transplant

To help along the natural conception of a baby for women who have undergone an ovarian tissue transplant, New Hope Fertility Center offers:

• Medicated Timed Intercourse
• Intrauterine Insemination (IUI)

Medicated Timed Intercourse

A variation of timed intercourse is Medicated Timed Intercourse. Typically, a woman only produces one healthy egg per monthly cycle. With Medicated Timed Intercourse, you will be prescribed oral fertility medications – Clomid or Femara – to stimulate your ovaries into producing multiple eggs during one monthly cycle. Because you are producing multiple eggs, your chances of conception increase during your ovulation window during a timed intercourse cycle. A word of caution: There is a high risk of conceiving a multiple pregnancy through Medicate Time Intercourse.

Intrauterine Insemination (IUI)

Timed intercourse is often used in conjunction with Intrauterine Insemination (IUI). IUI is the generally the same treatment protocol followed through medicated timed intercourse. After an injectable ovulation trigger medication – hCG – has been self-administered, a concentrated amount of sperm is inserted into the woman’s uterus via her cervix in a simple office procedure similar to a Pap smear.

World Renowned Ovarian Tissue Freezing Expertise

Ovarian tissue freezing is a state-of-the-art fertility preservation technique. It is important to work with a fertility care team having the experience required to design a customized fertility preservation treatment plan meeting your personal needs. To schedule your initial consultation with Dr. John Zhang – a world renowned ovarian tissue freezing expert – call 917.525.5496.