Using frozen ovary from childhood, woman delivers a healthy baby

BBC – A woman has given birth in London after doctors restored her fertility using frozen ovarian tissue removed when she was a young child.

The 24-year-old is thought to be the first in the world to have a baby after having an ovary frozen before the onset of puberty.

Moaza Al Matrooshi, whose son was delivered at the privately-run Portland Hospital yesterday, told the BBC: “It’s like a miracle.

“We’ve been waiting so long for this result – a healthy baby.”

Her doctor, Sara Matthews, a consultant in gynaecology and fertility, said she was overjoyed for the family – and delighted by the hope it offered to others too.

“This is a huge step forward. We know that ovarian tissue transplantation works for older women, but we’ve never known if we could take tissue from a child, freeze it and make it work again.”

Doctors say it will give hope to many other girls and young women who risk losing the chance of motherhood as a result of treatment for cancer, blood or immune disorders.