Egg freezing and sperm freezing require time. Ovarian stimulation for egg collection takes ten to fourteen days. For a woman who has just been diagnosed with cancer and needs to begin chemotherapy within days, that window may not be available. For a girl who has not yet reached puberty and has no mature eggs to collect, egg freezing is not possible at all. Ovarian tissue preservation exists precisely for these situations, providing a route to fertility preservation when conventional methods are not feasible or not appropriate.
At KIMS Cuddles at KIMS Hospitals, Electronic City, ovarian tissue preservation is available as part of our comprehensive fertility preservation programme, with the surgical and laboratory infrastructure needed to collect, process, and store ovarian tissue safely and effectively. For women and girls across Electronic City, Hosur Road, Sarjapur Road, and South Bengaluru facing circumstances where conventional egg freezing is not an option, this service provides an alternative pathway.
What Ovarian Tissue Preservation Involves
Ovarian tissue preservation involves the surgical removal of one ovary, or a portion of ovarian tissue from one or both ovaries, which is then processed and cryopreserved in strips. The procedure is performed laparoscopically under general anaesthesia, takes approximately thirty to forty-five minutes, and typically allows the patient to be discharged on the same day or after one overnight stay.
Because the procedure does not require ovarian stimulation and can be performed at any point in the menstrual cycle, it is the only fertility preservation technique that does not introduce any delay before the start of cancer treatment. This makes it particularly valuable when the urgency of starting chemotherapy or radiation does not allow time for a stimulation cycle.
The ovarian cortex, the outer layer of the ovary, contains the highest density of primordial follicles, the earliest stage of egg development. These follicles are present in large numbers even before puberty, which is why ovarian tissue preservation is the only method currently available to prepubertal girls.
When Ovarian Tissue Preservation Is Most Appropriate
Ovarian tissue preservation is specifically indicated in situations where other methods of fertility preservation are not feasible:
- Prepubertal girls facing cancer treatment where egg or embryo freezing is not possible
- Women who need to begin cancer treatment immediately and cannot undergo an ovarian stimulation cycle
- Women with hormone-sensitive cancers including certain breast cancers where stimulation with hormonal medications may be contraindicated
- Women who have already undergone egg freezing but want additional preservation through tissue banking as a second layer of protection
- Women with conditions causing rapidly progressive ovarian reserve decline where urgent preservation is needed
Reimplantation and Restoration of Function
When the individual is ready to attempt pregnancy in the future, the cryopreserved ovarian tissue can be thawed and reimplanted either at the original ovarian site, known as orthotopic reimplantation, or at an alternative site such as the forearm or abdominal wall, known as heterotopic reimplantation. Orthotopic reimplantation is more commonly performed as it allows the possibility of natural conception following restoration of ovarian function.
Following reimplantation, the tissue typically begins to function within three to five months, restoring hormonal activity and in many cases resuming ovulation. Pregnancy can occur spontaneously or through IVF using eggs collected from the reimplanted tissue. The largest body of evidence for ovarian tissue reimplantation comes from cancer patients, in whom over two hundred live births worldwide have been reported following this technique.
An important consideration in ovarian tissue reimplantation for cancer patients is the risk of reintroducing malignant cells if the original cancer involved the ovaries. This risk varies depending on the type and stage of cancer and is discussed carefully with each patient before reimplantation is planned. Alternative approaches to using the tissue, including in vitro maturation of follicles from the tissue, are being developed to address this concern.
Ovarian Tissue Preservation Alongside Egg Freezing
For women who have sufficient time before cancer treatment begins, combining ovarian tissue preservation with a cycle of egg or embryo freezing provides the most comprehensive fertility preservation strategy. Eggs collected during a stimulation cycle and ovarian tissue collected at a single laparoscopic procedure represent two independent sources of preserved reproductive potential, giving the individual the best possible range of options for the future.
Our team at KIMS Cuddles at KIMS Hospitals, Electronic City discusses the full range of preservation options with each patient and helps them understand which combination of approaches is most appropriate given the urgency of their situation and their individual clinical profile.
The Role of Multidisciplinary Coordination
Ovarian tissue preservation in the context of cancer treatment requires close coordination between the oncology team, the fertility team, and the surgical team. The timing of the procedure relative to the planned cancer treatment must be carefully managed, and the decision to proceed must be made with the oncologist's involvement to ensure that the delay or anaesthetic involved does not compromise the cancer treatment plan.
At KIMS Cuddles at KIMS Hospitals, Electronic City, this coordination is facilitated by our position within the KIMS Hospital network, where oncology, haematology, gynaecology, and fertility services communicate directly. For patients referred from oncology for urgent fertility preservation, our team prioritises assessment and scheduling to minimise any delay to the start of cancer treatment.
Counselling and Informed Decision Making
The decision to undergo ovarian tissue preservation, particularly in the context of a new cancer diagnosis, is made under significant emotional pressure and within a compressed timeframe. Our team provides clear, honest information about the procedure, the realistic likelihood of successful use in the future, the storage arrangements, and the consent framework governing what happens to stored tissue.
Counselling support is available for all patients undergoing fertility preservation, and is particularly important in these circumstances. Understanding that preserved tissue is stored safely and that the option it represents remains available regardless of what happens in the years between storage and use provides meaningful reassurance during an extremely difficult period.
Why Choose KIMS Cuddles at KIMS Hospitals, Electronic City
Ovarian tissue preservation requires both surgical expertise in laparoscopic ovarian surgery and a specialist embryology laboratory capable of processing and cryopreserving ovarian tissue correctly. At KIMS Cuddles at KIMS Hospitals, Electronic City, both are available within a single centre, with the additional support of the broader KIMS Hospital infrastructure for the oncological coordination that cancer patients require.
Book a Consultation
If you or someone in your care needs urgent fertility preservation assessment, contact KIMS Cuddles at KIMS Hospitals, Electronic City directly to request a priority appointment. For non-urgent enquiries about ovarian tissue preservation, appointments can be booked online or by phone.
