Docs to Transplant Ovary in Forearm on Completion of Cancer Treatment

IVF experts at the Army's Research and Referral Hospital, Delhi will transplant an ovary into a woman's forearm after she finishes with her chemotherapy and radiotherapy for blood cancer. Some medicines used for chemotherapy reduce the fertility of the patient. Similarly radiotherapy to the pelvic region can also cause infertility. Therefore doctors have preserved the ovarian tissue of this woman at -197 degree centigrade for the last 9months, which will be grafted in her forearm under local anesthesia, sometime during the end of January. Doctors expect that the eggs would grow in the forearm and would result in a successful pregnancy. IVF specialist Lt. Col. Dr. Pankaj Talwar said, “Once put in the forearm, the ovarian tissue will be stimulated with hormones and harvested. Once the eggs develop, they will be taken and injected with the husband's sperm for fertilization in the lab following which embryos will form. This is when the embryos will be placed in the uterus or womb.”

According to Lt. Gen. Dr. Naresh Kumar, “Such a transplant is being done for the first time in India.” This, however, is still in the experimental phase and not a guaranteed way of getting a baby. The entire process will require 3-4 months and will cost between Rs. 1.5-2 lakhs.

Source-Medindia