Image used for illustrative purpose.
Two decades ago, an Emirati girl in need of a bone marrow transplant faced the risk of permanent infertility. At just 9 years old, her parents opted to take her abroad for a pioneering procedure called ovarian tissue cryopreservation (OTC), which offered the potential for future childbearing. Today, this innovative technique has been successfully performed for the first time in the UAE at HealthPlus Fertility, in partnership with Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi.
"This is a groundbreaking procedure and will significantly impact the lives of many patients," stated Dr. Monika Chawla, Medical Director at HealthPlus Fertility. OTC is an advanced method that preserves ovarian tissue, particularly in women undergoing treatments that could harm ovarian function, such as cancer therapies including chemotherapy or radiotherapy. During the procedure, doctors remove the entire or part of the ovary, slice it into thin sections, and then preserve it in a lab, maintaining it in a frozen state.
"This tissue can later be reintroduced into a woman's body," Dr. Chawla explained. "It will restore both her fertility and the hormonal functions provided by the ovary." The first live birth using OTC was documented in 2004. While ongoing research continues, the American Society of Reproductive Medicine has recognized it as a viable fertility preservation technique.
OTC primarily benefits young girls diagnosed with cancer who cannot undergo egg freezing due to immature eggs. Additionally, some cancer patients with aggressive forms may not have the time to wait for hormonal stimulation before starting chemotherapy or radiotherapy. Hormone-sensitive malignancies also preclude the use of hormone injections required for egg freezing.
The technique involves laparoscopic surgery to obtain tissue for long-term freezing. Dr. Chawla highlighted its advantages, stating, "It can restore both fertility and hormonal functions." Women with genetic mutations like Turner Syndrome and severe endometriosis are also candidates for OTC.
In the UAE, the technique was recently performed on a 32-year-old Emirati patient with Hodgkin lymphoma. Diagnosed at the Cleveland oncology center, she was referred to HealthPlus Fertility for fertility preservation. After a laparoscopy, one of her ovaries was removed, and she is currently undergoing chemotherapy. "It will take a couple of years for her to complete treatment, after which we hope to re-implant the tissue so she can have children," Dr. Chawla said.
The first Emirati girl to undergo OTC in 2004 later had her ovarian tissue re-implanted and gave birth to a healthy baby boy. "This technique will be a tremendous blessing for individuals like her with genetic diseases and cancer," Dr. Chawla concluded.
