Preservation of fertility in women undergoing chemotherapy: Current approach and future prospects

Abstract

Purpose: Anticancer treatment causes ovarian failure. Methods: Some hormones may have a protective effect on the ovary. Cryopreservation (freezing) of oocytes has had very limited success, and therefore, currently its use before chemotherapy is not a feasible option. However, cryopreservation of embryos is possible. Another solution is oocyte donation followed by in vitro fertilization (IVF). Results: Ovarian cortical slices containing primordial follicles have been cryopreserved successfully. To restore fertility, cryopreserved-thawed tissue taken from cancer patients before therapy could be replanted after recovery. The possible risk of malignancy restoration could be eliminated by obtaining unilaminar follicles from cryopreserved-thawed tissue and growing them in vitro, followed by routine IVF. Conclusions: Although women who undergo chemotherapy face limited options for fertility preservation, intensive studies in cryopreservation and in vitro maturation of follicles harbor hope for brighter prospects in the future.