First Baby Born After Restoration Of Frozen Ovarian Tissue

By Pamella de Leon | Jul 09, 2015
Shutterstock

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

You're reading Entrepreneur Middle East, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media.

Giving hope to young cancer victims and survivors, a woman has given birth to a baby boy after doctors restored her fertility using frozen ovary tissue preserved when she was still a child. how is this possible? The woman (who wishes to remain anonymous) was diagnosed with sickle cell anemia as a child, prompting a move from the Republic of Congo to Belgium to seek treatment. Doctors proposed a bone marrow transplant, and she then needed chemotherapy so that her body wouldn’t reject the foreign tissue (BBC). Since chemotherapy can impede ovarian function, her rightovary and tissue fragments were surgically removed at the age of 14.

The patient had not yet began menstruating, so doctors decided to freeze (or “cryopreserve’) her ovarian tissue to hopefully revive her fertility later on- which it did, according to a study published in Human Reproduction. When she wanted to have a child, doctors grafted ovarian fragments onto her remaining ovary and later on, she became pregnant naturally at the age of 27. The procedure’s success could help other survivors who have undergone the process of tissue cryopreservation, thereby preserving their fertility.

Giving hope to young cancer victims and survivors, a woman has given birth to a baby boy after doctors restored her fertility using frozen ovary tissue preserved when she was still a child. how is this possible? The woman (who wishes to remain anonymous) was diagnosed with sickle cell anemia as a child, prompting a move from the Republic of Congo to Belgium to seek treatment. Doctors proposed a bone marrow transplant, and she then needed chemotherapy so that her body wouldn’t reject the foreign tissue (BBC). Since chemotherapy can impede ovarian function, her rightovary and tissue fragments were surgically removed at the age of 14.

The patient had not yet began menstruating, so doctors decided to freeze (or “cryopreserve’) her ovarian tissue to hopefully revive her fertility later on- which it did, according to a study published in Human Reproduction. When she wanted to have a child, doctors grafted ovarian fragments onto her remaining ovary and later on, she became pregnant naturally at the age of 27. The procedure’s success could help other survivors who have undergone the process of tissue cryopreservation, thereby preserving their fertility.

Pamella de Leon

Former Startup Section Editor, Entrepreneur Middle East
Pamella de Leon is a former Startup Section Editor at Entrepreneur Middle East.Now based in the US, Pamella de Leon remains supportive of entrepreneurs from the MENA region and beyond.

Related Content

Lifestyle

Struggling with Confidence? Dr. Ana Kochoska Reveals a One-Hour Method to Boost Self-Belief

In a region driven by ambition, leadership, and rapid growth, confidence has become a defining factor of success. Yet for many entrepreneurs and professionals, self-doubt, imposter syndrome, and hesitation continue to operate quietly beneath the surface, limiting performance despite outward success. Dr. Ana Kochoska, Medical Doctor and Certified Hypnotherapist, has seen this pattern repeatedly in […]
Lifestyle

Mohamed Foresta on The Hidden Cost of Material Failure in Luxury Interiors

Across the UAE and wider GCC, luxury interiors have become increasingly sophisticated. From high-end residential developments to bespoke private villas, significant investment is poured into creating spaces that reflect comfort, success, and lifestyle aspiration. As people spend more time at home, whether working, hosting, or unwinding, expectations of interior performance have risen accordingly. When homeowners, […]