A cancer diagnosis is overwhelming, but modern medicine now allows young women and girls to preserve their dreams of motherhood. Fertility Preservation (Oncofertility) is the process of saving eggs, embryos, or ovarian tissue before starting treatments like chemotherapy or radiation.

The Impact of Chemo and Radiation

Ovarian follicles are highly sensitive to DNA-damaging agents. Depending on the dose and type of treatment, anticancer therapies can lead to:

• Premature Ovarian Failure: Early onset of menopause.
• Reduced Follicle Reserve: A significantly shortened reproductive lifespan.
• Hormonal Shift: Markers like AMH and AFC may drop to premenopausal levels following treatment.

Why Ovarian Cortex Freezing?

For many young patients—including prepubertal girls or those who cannot delay chemotherapy for the 2 weeks required for egg retrieval—Ovarian Tissue Freezing is the only viable option. This technique protects the primordial follicles, which are hardier and less affected by radiation than mature eggs.

[Image: Illustration of Ovarian Tissue Cryopreservation]

The Procedure Steps:

Restoring Fertility After Remission

Once a patient is in remission and ready to conceive, the tissue can be auto-transplanted back into the body. Modern studies show an encouraging pregnancy rate of 23% to 37% following transplantation. Emergent techniques like In-Vitro Maturation (IVM) are also expanding options for future family building.

Timing is Vital

Fertility preservation must be discussed before the first dose of chemotherapy. If you are feeling stressed or confused about your options, specialized counseling at Talwar Fertility can provide the clarity you need during this difficult time.

Every year, cancer treatment causes premature menopause and infertility in thousands of women of reproductive age in India. However, a revolutionary procedure developed at the Army Hospital Research and Referral is set to change this reality.

Doctors have discovered a groundbreaking method to help women cancer survivors conceive by growing eggs in their own forearm—a first-of-its-kind procedure in the country.

How the Procedure Works

The ovarian tissue of cancer patients is preserved in a specialized lab before they begin treatments like surgery or radiation. Once the patient is cancer-free and ready to conceive, the tissue is grafted back onto their forearm or abdomen.

• Pre-testing: The tissue is thoroughly tested to ensure no cancer cells are present.
• Stimulation: Specific drugs are administered to encourage the tissue to produce eggs.
• The Lump: Patients will notice a pea-sized lump at the transplant site, which indicates egg development.
• Extraction: Eggs are then extracted via a minor surgery under local anesthesia for use in In-Vitro Fertilization (IVF).