re-implanting thawed ovarian tissue

From: Damien Broderick (d.broderick@english.unimelb.edu.au)
Date: Tue Dec 19 2000 - 17:35:19 MST


A little while back, there was some discussion about whether it's yet
technically feasible to remove ovarian tissue (perhaps from a woman about
to undergo inadvertently sterilizing radiation treatment for cancer),
freeze it, and later reimplant it--perhaps many years later. Drawing as
usual upon only the most authoritative medical sources of information, I
report that the BBC TV series SUPERHUMAN, hosted by Lord Robert Winston,
mentioned that one Margaret Lloyd-Hart, a bellydancer by profession, was
the first to trial this method in Feb 1999. Seven months later she did
indeed produce an ovum, but the process was only sustained by a massive
dosage of hormones which made her feel so sick that she finally
discontinued treatment. I haven't yet followed up this clue with a net
search on subsequent attempts.

Damien Broderick



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