Ovarian tissue storage is the storage of ovarian tissue, often prior to cancer or other fertility-threatening treatments, in hopes of extracting viable eggs from the tissue sample for future fertilization. The American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) has now removed the experimental label from ovarian tissue cryopreservation and, when appropriate, this method of fertility preservation for prepubertal and adolescent patients should be discussed as an option before beginning. The tissue is typically removed through laparoscopy and cryopreserved until the patient is ready and wants to start a family. At that time, the tissue can be transplanted back to the patient and natural pregnancy occurs, hormone treatments are given to stimulate ovulation for IVF, or In Vitro Maturation (IVM) in a laboratory can sometimes yield viable oocytes (eggs) for IVF.
Most patients choose to store ovarian tissue because they will be undergoing cancer or other fertility-threatening treatments that may affect their future fertility. This type of reproductive storage is sometimes considered for oncology patients because it allows for relatively quick retrieval of tissue (1 – 2 days) and therefore only a short postponement of chemotherapy or radiotherapy. Most often, this method of fertility preservation is considered for pre-pubertal or adolescent/young adult patients for whom ovarian stimulation is not an option.
At ReproTech, our one and only job is storage. It’s all we do, and we do it well. Since 1990, we’ve been at the forefront of cryostorage for a range of reproductive specimens. With our industry expertise, we are able to provide the best value through our tried and tested methods perfected over the past three decades. Because of this experience, we know how to provide cost-effective cryostorage to both individuals and clinics nationwide.
Ovarian tissue storage appointments are available for scheduling within one to three days of your initial call. While it is advantageous for patients to bank all frozen ovarian tissue specimens prior to beginning fertility threatening treatment therapies that can result in infertility, recent studies have shown that viable samples can be collected in the early stages of some treatments. To begin the process of freezing ovarian tissue schedule an appointment with your fertility doctor. Please refer to the Network of Freezing Centers we partner with to find an Ovarian Tissue Freezing Center near you.
To find more information on the long-term storage of your frozen ovarian tissue, please click the location nearest you:
ReproTech works with the Oncofertility Consortium and several participating medical centers located throughout the U.S. that offer ovarian tissue cryopreservation to their patients. Patients who are participants in the ovarian tissue program will have an ovary surgically removed and cryopreserved before they begin fertility-threatening treatment. In some instances, a portion of the tissue may be provided to a research program, while the majority of the tissue is stored for the patient’s future use.
The goal of cryopreserving ovarian tissue is to thaw the tissue when the patient is ready to have children. The thawed ovarian follicles are processed in the lab using a technique called In Vitro Maturation (IVM). The mature oocytes (eggs) are then used to create embryos and transferred for implantation. The laparoscopic removal of an ovary typically does not require a significant delay in treatment beyond one to two days of recovery. Additionally, infants as young as 6 months can undergo this procedure because neither puberty nor fertilization is required.
Contact ReproTech for options for the final disposition of reproductive tissue once your reproductive tissue storage needs have ended.
