Ovarian tissue freezing (freezing ovaries) | Newlife IVF
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Ovarian tissue freezing services

Ovarian tissue freezing is an emerging technique used in women who require fertility preservation prior to time-critical cancer treatment.

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What is ovarian tissue freezing?

Ovarian tissue freezing involves removing part of the ovary for freezing, with the aim of re-implanting the ovarian tissue when the woman is ready. Following re-implantation, eggs within the ovarian tissue can grow and mature, providing women with the potential to have a baby.

Who may require ovarian tissue freezing?

Ovarian tissue freezing is used solely for women who require fertility preservation prior to time-critical cancer treatment. Certain chemotherapy, radiotherapy or surgical treatments associated with specific cancers can have lasting effects on a woman’s fertility. While egg freezing may be a more familiar technique for preserving fertility, ovarian tissue freezing has its advantages.

Ovarian tissue freezing can be completed within a quicker time frame, allowing for prompt commencement of cancer treatment. It does not require hormonal stimulation of the ovaries to produce eggs. Once re-implanted into the body, there is potential for the ovarian tissue to produce hormones and restore a woman’s hormonal levels to improve her quality of life. Lastly, it provides a preservation option for pre-pubertal girls, who otherwise cannot freeze eggs.

What does the freezing process involve?

Removal of ovarian tissue for freezing requires surgery under general anaesthesia. It will be performed by your Newlife IVF fertility specialist and involves making some small (keyhole) incisions in your abdomen to remove a wedge of ovarian tissue.

The ovarian tissue will be frozen and stored, until a time when you are ready for re-implantation.

Re-implantation will also occur in surgery under general anaesthesia. Once successfully implanted, the ovarian tissue will take a number of months to start producing hormones and mature eggs. At this stage, IVF will likely be used to conceive. However, there is also still the potential for natural conception.

Frequently asked questions

  • What is ovarian tissue freezing?

    Ovarian tissue freezing is a fertility preservation technique that involves removing and freezing a piece of tissue from the ovaries. This technique is used for individuals who are facing a risk of premature ovarian failure due to chemotherapy, radiation therapy or other medical treatments that may damage the ovaries.

    After the ovarian tissue has been frozen, it can be thawed and transplanted back into the woman’s body at a later time when she is ready to conceive. The transplanted ovarian tissue can resume its function and produce hormones and mature eggs, which can be fertilised through IVF.

    In some circumstances, egg freezing may be recommended instead of ovarian tissue freezing.

  • How do we freeze ovarian tissue?

    The ovarian tissue is removed using laparoscopic surgery, which is a minimally invasive surgical technique that involves making small incisions in the abdomen. The removed ovarian tissue is then processed in the laboratory to isolate the ovarian follicles, which are the small sacs that contain immature eggs. Following this, the tissue is frozen and stored until a time when it can be used in the future.

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Get in touch

For more information or to book an appointment with one of our fertility doctors, please call (03) 8080 8933 or email [email protected]. Fertility appointments can also be booked via our online booking page.

Our three Melbourne clinics are based in Box Hill, Clayton and East Melbourne and are open Monday–Friday: 8:00am–5:00pm. We welcome patients from all over Victoria, as well as those seeking care interstate or internationally. All fertility treatment requiring day surgery or lab access (e.g. egg collection, embryo transfer) will take place at our state-of-the-art treatment centre in Box Hill. Fertility consultations and IVF cycle monitoring can be arranged at all three Melbourne clinics.

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