Ovarian Tissue Preservation as a Method of Fertility Preservation

There are multiple methods of fertility preservation that are common in cancer patients. One method that is frequently used is oocyte or embryo cryopreservation. In this process, a woman’s ovaries are stimulated so that multiple oocytes can be extracted. The oocytes can then be fertilized and frozen as embryos or frozen without fertilization. The procedure is commonly performed and considered to be a safe and effective method of preserving fertility.2 However, there is a newer, more experimental method of fertility preservation known as ovarian tissue cryopreservation. In this procedure, either tissue from one ovary or one whole ovary is removed surgically, typically via a laparoscopic approach. This tissue is then frozen and stored for reimplantation in the pelvis after gonadotoxic treatment has been completed.2 This procedure is still considered experimental and has not become a routinely used method of fertility preservation.2,3 This leads to the question: Among females with premature ovarian failure secondary to chemotherapy, how does ovarian tissue cryotherapy as a method of fertility preservation compare to oocyte cryopreservation, as measured by percentage of patients with successful pregnancies after the procedure and return of ovarian function as determine by FSH level