Dr. Fouad Azem - director

Ms. Adelle Alon - nurse

Tel: 03-6925612

Recently, the rate of recovery from malignant diseases and others in which patients are exposed to chemotherapy and radiation treatment has risen. There is thus a rising need for fertility preservation in these patients. Chemotherapy and radiation to the pelvis may injure the ovary and the oocytes in it. Since a woman is born with a predetermined number of ova that is not renewed during her life, the preservation of oocytes prior to exposure to such treatment is of cardinal importance. The patient's fertility potential may be preserved in one of three ways: cryopreservation of oocytes, of ovarian tissue or of embryos.

Cryopreservation of embryos

Suitable in cases in which the patient has already chosen a partner and in which the state of her disease allows ovulation induction before initiating treatment, both in terms of the timeframe and the exposure to hormonal treatment.

Oocyte cryopreservation

This is an innovative technology that allows cryopreservation of oocytes before fertilization, making it appropriate for girls and women who have not yet decided on their future partner. However, the percentage of oocytes surviving the cryopreservation process is lower than that of cryopreserved embryos, and the patient still needs to undergo an ovulation induction process.

Cryopreservation of ovarian tissue

Ovarian tissue is sampled in a laparoscopic procedure, under general anesthesia, and is submitted to the lab for preparation and cryopreservation. It may be preserved in liquid nitrogen for an indefinite time. Animal studies demonstrate that after recovery from the primary disease, the ovarian tissue may be reimplanted and can resume its function and produce ova. Clinical experience is as of yet limited, but is still superior to oocyte cryopreservation. Furthermore, by the time most patients have recovered completely and require using the cryopreserved tissue, more clinical experience will be available.