Skip to main content

Ovarian Tissue Cryopreservation

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Practical Manual of In Vitro Fertilization

Abstract

There is a large need for fertility preservation options for cancer survivors, yet at this time, ovarian tissue cryopreservation for fertility preservation remains experimental. Ovarian cortex banking may be offered to patients undergoing gonadotoxic therapy under an approved experimental protocol when ovarian stimulation and in vitro fertilization are not options. Cryopreservation and reimplantation of whole ovaries are areas where more research needs to be performed before it can be offered, even experimentally, to patients desiring fertility preservation. Future work will focus on clarifying patient selection for ovarian tissue cryopreservation. In addition, technical methods of cryopreservation of ovarian tissue should be optimized to enhance follicular survival. Lastly, surgical techniques for revascularization of thawed whole ovaries need to be perfected. The current outlook is hopeful that in the near future, ovarian tissue cryopreservation will be a viable treatment option for fertility preservation.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 189.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 249.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Chatterjee R, Goldstone AH. Gonadal damage and effects on fertility in adult patients with haematological malignancy undergoing stem cell transplantation. Bone Marrow Transplant. 1996;17(1):5–11.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Barlow DH. Premature ovarian failure. Baillieres Clin Obstet Gynaecol. 1996;10(3):361–84.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Sonmezer M, Oktay K. Fertility preservation in female patients. Hum Reprod Update. 2004;10(3):251–66.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Sklar C. Reproductive physiology and treatment-related loss of sex hormone production. Med Pediatr Oncol. 1999;33(1):2–8.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Bakker B, Oostdijk W, Bresters D, Walenkamp MJ, Vossen JM, Wit JM. Disturbances of growth and endocrine function after busulphan-based conditioning for haematopoietic stem cell transplantation during infancy and childhood. Bone Marrow Transplant. 2004;33(10):1049–56.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Grifo JA, Noyes N. Delivery rate using cryopreserved oocytes is comparable to conventional in vitro fertilization using fresh oocytes: potential fertility preservation for female cancer patients. Fertil Steril. 2010;93(2):391–6.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Stillman RJ, Schinfeld JS, Schiff I, et al. Ovarian failure in long-term survivors of childhood malignancy. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 1981;139(1):62–6.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Byrne J. Infertility and premature menopause in childhood cancer survivors. Med Pediatr Oncol. 1999;33(1):24–8.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Afify Z, Shaw PJ, Clavano-Harding A, Cowell CT. Growth and endocrine function in children with acute myeloid leukaemia after bone marrow transplantation using busulfan/cyclophosphamide. Bone Marrow Transplant. 2000;25(10):1087–92.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Wallace WH, Shalet SM, Crowne EC, Morris-Jones PH, Gattamaneni HR. Ovarian failure following abdominal irradiation in childhood: natural history and prognosis. Clin Oncol (R Coll Radiol). 1989;1(2):75–9.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Gosden RG, Baird DT, Wade JC, Webb R. Restoration of fertility to oophorectomized sheep by ovarian autografts stored at -196 degrees C. Hum Reprod. 1994;9(4):597–603.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Nugent D, Meirow D, Brook PF, Aubard Y, Gosden RG. Transplantation in reproductive medicine: previous experience, present knowledge and future prospects. Hum Reprod Update. 1997;3(3):267–80.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Oktay K, Buyuk E, Rosenwaks Z, Rucinski J. A technique for transplantation of ovarian cortical strips to the forearm. Fertil Steril. 2003;80(1):193–8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. von Wolff M, Donnez J, Hovatta O, et al. Cryopreservation and autotransplantation of human ovarian tissue prior to cytotoxic therapy–a technique in its infancy but already successful in fertility preservation. Eur J Cancer. 2009;45(9):1547–53.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Mayerhofer K, Ott J, Nouri K, et al. Laparoscopic ovarian tissue harvesting for cryopreservation: an effective and safe procedure for fertility preservation. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol. 2010;152(1):68–72.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Silber SJ, DeRosa M, Pineda J, et al. A series of monozygotic twins discordant for ovarian failure: ovary transplantation (cortical versus microvascular) and cryopreservation. Hum Reprod. 2008;23(7): 1531–7.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Baird DT, Webb R, Campbell BK, Harkness LM, Gosden RG. Long-term ovarian function in sheep after ovariectomy and transplantation of autografts stored at -196°C. Endocrinology. 1999;140(1):462–71.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Liu J, Van der Elst J, Van den Broecke R, Dhont M. Early massive follicle loss and apoptosis in heterotopically grafted newborn mouse ovaries. Hum Reprod. 2002;17(3):605–11.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Nisolle M, Casanas-Roux F, Qu J, Motta P, Donnez J. Histologic and ultrastructural evaluation of fresh and frozen-thawed human ovarian xenografts in nude mice. Fertil Steril. 2000;74(1):122–9.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Keros V, Xella S, Hultenby K, et al. Vitrification versus controlled-rate freezing in cryopreservation of human ovarian tissue. Hum Reprod. 2009;24(7):1670–83.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Salle B, Demirci B, Franck M, Rudigoz RC, Guerin JF, Lornage J. Normal pregnancies and live births after autograft of frozen-thawed hemi-ovaries into ewes. Fertil Steril. 2002;77(2):403–8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Oktay K, Economos K, Kan M, Rucinski J, Veeck L, Rosenwaks Z. Endocrine function and oocyte retrieval after autologous transplantation of ovarian cortical strips to the forearm. JAMA. 2001;286(12):1490–3.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Oktay K, Buyuk E, Veeck L, et al. Embryo development after heterotopic transplantation of cryopreserved ovarian tissue. Lancet. 2004;363(9412):837–40.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Donnez J, Dolmans MM, Demylle D, et al. Livebirth after orthotopic transplantation of cryopreserved ovarian tissue. Lancet. 2004;364(9443):1405–10.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Meirow D, Levron J, Eldar-Geva T, et al. Pregnancy after transplantation of cryopreserved ovarian tissue in a patient with ovarian failure after chemotherapy. N Engl J Med. 2005;353(3):318–21.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Demeestere I, Simon P, Emiliani S, Delbaere A, Englert Y. Fertility preservation: successful transplantation of cryopreserved ovarian tissue in a young patient previously treated for Hodgkin’s disease. Oncologist. 2007;12(12):1437–42.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Andersen CY, Rosendahl M, Byskov AG, et al. Two successful pregnancies following autotransplantation of frozen/thawed ovarian tissue. Hum Reprod. 2008;23:2266–72.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Sanchez-Serrano M, Crespo J, Mirabet V, et al. Twins born after transplantation of ovarian cortical tissue and oocyte vitrification. Fertil Steril. 2010;93:268.e11–3.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Roux C, Amiot C, Agnani G, Aubard Y, Rohrlich PS, Piver P. Live birth after ovarian tissue autograft in a patient with sickle cell disease treated by allogeneic bone marrow transplantation. Fertil Steril. 2010;93(7):2413.e15–19.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Silber S, Kagawa N, Kuwayama M, Gosden R. Duration of fertility after fresh and frozen ovary transplantation. Fertil Steril. 2010;94:2191–6.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Demeestere I, Simon P, Buxant F, et al. Ovarian function and spontaneous pregnancy after combined heterotopic and orthotopic cryopreserved ovarian tissue transplantation in a patient previously treated with bone marrow transplantation: case report. Hum Reprod. 2006;21(8):2010–4.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Ernst E, Bergholdt S, Jorgensen JS, Andersen CY. The first woman to give birth to two children following transplantation of frozen/thawed ovarian tissue. Hum Reprod. 2010;25(5):1280–1.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Rosendahl M, Loft A, Byskov AG, et al. Biochemical pregnancy after fertilization of an oocyte aspirated from a heterotopic autotransplant of cryopreserved ovarian tissue: case report. Hum Reprod. 2006;21(8):2006–9.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. Lee DM, Yeoman RR, Battaglia DE, et al. Live birth after ovarian tissue transplant. Nature. 2004;428(6979):137–8.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. Courbiere B, Prebet T, Mozziconacci MJ, Metzler-Guillemain C, Saias-Magnan J, Gamerre M. Tumor cell contamination in ovarian tissue cryopreserved before gonadotoxic treatment: should we systematically exclude ovarian autograft in a cancer survivor? Bone Marrow Transplant. 2010;45(7):1247–8.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. Rosendahl M, Andersen MT, Ralfkiaer E, Kjeldsen L, Andersen MK, Andersen CY. Evidence of residual disease in cryopreserved ovarian cortex from female patients with leukemia. Fertil Steril. 2010;94:2186–90.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. Dolmans MM, Marinescu C, Saussoy P, Van Langendonckt A, Amorim C, Donnez J. Reimplantation of cryopreserved ovarian tissue from patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia is potentially unsafe. Blood. 2010;116:2908–14.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  38. Meirow D, Hardan I, Dor J, et al. Searching for evidence of disease and malignant cell contamination in ovarian tissue stored from hematologic cancer patients. Hum Reprod. 2008;23(5):1007–13.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  39. Sonmezer M, Oktay K. Orthotopic and heterotopic ovarian tissue transplantation. Best Pract Res Clin Obstet Gynaecol. 2010;24(1):113–26.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  40. Meirow D, Ben Yehuda D, Prus D, et al. Ovarian tissue banking in patients with Hodgkin’s disease: is it safe? Fertil Steril. 1998; 69(6):996–8.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  41. Seshadri T, Gook D, Lade S, et al. Lack of evidence of disease contamination in ovarian tissue harvested for cryopreservation from patients with Hodgkin lymphoma and analysis of factors predictive of oocyte yield. Br J Cancer. 2006;94(7):1007–10.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  42. Wallace WH, Anderson RA, Irvine DS. Fertility preservation for young patients with cancer: who is at risk and what can be offered? Lancet Oncol. 2005;6(4):209–18.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  43. Blumenfeld Z. Gynaecologic concerns for young women exposed to gonadotoxic chemotherapy. Curr Opin Obstet Gynecol. 2003; 15(5):359–70.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  44. Jeremias E, Bedaiwy MA, Gurunluoglu R, Biscotti CV, Siemionow M, Falcone T. Heterotopic autotransplantation of the ovary with microvascular anastomosis: a novel surgical technique. Fertil Steril. 2002;77(6):1278–82.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  45. Wang X, Chen H, Yin H, Kim SS, Lin Tan S, Gosden RG. Fertility after intact ovary transplantation. Nature. 2002;415(6870):385.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  46. Bedaiwy MA, Jeremias E, Gurunluoglu R, et al. Restoration of ovarian function after autotransplantation of intact frozen-thawed sheep ovaries with microvascular anastomosis. Fertil Steril. 2003;79(3):594–602.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  47. Revel A, Elami A, Bor A, Yavin S, Natan Y, Arav A. Whole sheep ovary cryopreservation and transplantation. Fertil Steril. 2004; 82(6):1714–5.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  48. Arav A, Revel A, Nathan Y, et al. Oocyte recovery, embryo development and ovarian function after cryopreservation and transplantation of whole sheep ovary. Hum Reprod. 2005;20(12):3554–9.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  49. Bedaiwy MA, Hussein MR, Biscotti C, Falcone T. Cryopreservation of intact human ovary with its vascular pedicle. Hum Reprod. 2006;21(12):3258–69.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  50. Imhof M, Bergmeister H, Lipovac M, Rudas M, Hofstetter G, Huber J. Orthotopic microvascular reanastomosis of whole cryopreserved ovine ovaries resulting in pregnancy and live birth. Fertil Steril. 2006;85 Suppl 1:1208–15.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  51. Courbiere B, Massardier J, Salle B, Mazoyer C, Guerin JF, Lornage J. Follicular viability and histological assessment after cryopreservation of whole sheep ovaries with vascular pedicle by vitrification. Fertil Steril. 2005;84 Suppl 2:1065–71.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  52. Imhof M, Hofstetter G, Bergmeister H, et al. Cryopreservation of a whole ovary as a strategy for restoring ovarian function. J Assist Reprod Genet. 2004;21(12):459–65.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  53. Fahy GM, Wowk B, Wu J, et al. Cryopreservation of organs by vitrification: perspectives and recent advances. Cryobiology. 2004;48(2):157–78.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  54. Arav A, Gavish Z, Elami A, Natan Y, Revel A, Silber S, Patrizio P. Ovarian function 6 years after cryopreservation and transplantation of whole sheep ovaries. Reprod Biomed Online. 2010;20: 48–52.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  55. Martinez-Madrid B, Dolmans MM, Van Langendonckt A, Defrere S, Donnez J. Freeze-thawing intact human ovary with its vascular pedicle with a passive cooling device. Fertil Steril. 2004; 82(5):1390–4.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  56. Patrizio P, Gavish Z, Martel M, Azodi M, Silber S, Arav A. Whole ovary cryopreservation using a novel multi-gradient freezing device. Presented at the 63rd annual meeting of the American Society of Reproductive Medicine, Washington; 2007.

    Google Scholar 

  57. Patrizio P, Arav A, Bromer JG, Martel M, Azodi M, Siber S. Cryopreservation of whole human ovaries together with fallopian tubes. Presented at the 64th annual meeting of the American Society of Reproductive Medicine, San Francisco; 2008.

    Google Scholar 

  58. Bromer J, Patrizio P. Fertility preservation: the rationale for cryopreservation of the whole ovary. Semin Reprod Med. 2009;27(6): 465–71.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Pasquale Patrizio MD, MBE, HCLD .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2012 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Kulp, J.L., Martin, J.R., Patrizio, P. (2012). Ovarian Tissue Cryopreservation. In: Nagy, Z., Varghese, A., Agarwal, A. (eds) Practical Manual of In Vitro Fertilization. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-1780-5_61

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-1780-5_61

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4419-1779-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4419-1780-5

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics