ADVERTISEMENT

Woman whose ovary was removed at 15 gives birth after successful transplant

Details of the case were published on Wednesday in the journal Human Reproduction.

___3850517___https:______static.pulse.com.gh___webservice___escenic___binary___3850517___2015___6___10___16____83514414_g2100572-dna_researcher_removes_tissue_from_liquid_nitrogen-spl

Haven had her ovary removed when she was just 13, a woman in Belgium has become the first in the world to give birth to a baby using transplanted ovarian tissue frozen when she was still a child.

The 27-year old removed the ovary in her teens in order to undergo invasive treatment for sickle cell anaemia and after the treatment, her remaining ovary failed making it unlikely to conceive without a transplant.

BBC reports that at the time, she emigrated from the Republic of Congo to Belgium where doctors decided her disease was so severe that she needed a bone marrow transplant using her brother's matching tissue.

Before the transplant though, they needed to give her chemotherapy to disable her immune system and stop it from rejecting the foreign tissue, a procedure that can destroy ovarian function, so they removed her right ovary and froze tissue fragments.

ADVERTISEMENT

Though she had started showing signs of puberty at the time, she had not yet started seeing her period.

10 years after the treatment, the woman, who has chosen to remain anonymous, chose to have a baby so doctors grafted four of her thawed ovarian fragments onto her remaining ovary.

5 months later, she began to menstruate and became pregnant naturally at the age of 27, giving birth to a baby boy in November 2014.

Details of the case were published on Wednesday in the journal Human Reproduction. It is hoped by experts that this procedure could eventually help other young patients.

Isabelle Demeestere, the gynaecologist who led the treatment to restore the patient's fertility, however warned the procedure would only be suitable for patients at high risk of ovarian failure, as the procedure itself carries risks such as damaging the removed healthy ovary or reintroducing malignant cells at the time of transplant.

JOIN OUR PULSE COMMUNITY!

Unblock notifications in browser settings.
ADVERTISEMENT

Eyewitness? Submit your stories now via social or:

Email: eyewitness@pulse.ng

Recommended articles

Governor Idris plans to transform political thugs into employers of labour

Governor Idris plans to transform political thugs into employers of labour

Wike set to use ₦1.15trn to transform FCT, rural communities for better living

Wike set to use ₦1.15trn to transform FCT, rural communities for better living

16 victims kidnapped in Katsina rescued after 46 days in captivity

16 victims kidnapped in Katsina rescued after 46 days in captivity

You can go to prison for 7 years in Nigeria for using underage housemaids

You can go to prison for 7 years in Nigeria for using underage housemaids

Peter Obi explains why he joined Muslims to break fast in Abuja mosque

Peter Obi explains why he joined Muslims to break fast in Abuja mosque

Plateau commission demands justice for rape and murder of 9-year-old girl

Plateau commission demands justice for rape and murder of 9-year-old girl

Peter Obi breaking fast with Muslims in Abuja mosque gets Nigerians talking

Peter Obi breaking fast with Muslims in Abuja mosque gets Nigerians talking

Video of weird school competition shows young students licking one another's feet

Video of weird school competition shows young students licking one another's feet

UniCal records highest number of first class graduates in 49 years

UniCal records highest number of first class graduates in 49 years

Pulse Sports

Super Eagles Bright Osayi-Samuel punches pitch invader as violence erupts following Trabzonspor vs Fenerbahce

Super Eagles Bright Osayi-Samuel punches pitch invader as violence erupts following Trabzonspor vs Fenerbahce

Naija Stars Abroad: Moffi, Chukwueze battle Oshoala, Echegini for POTW

Naija Stars Abroad: Moffi, Chukwueze battle Oshoala, Echegini for POTW

Report: Super Eagles get new coach for Ghana and Mali clash

Report: Super Eagles get new coach for Ghana and Mali clash

Osimhen misses out on N17b payday after Napoli's UCL loss to Barcelona

Osimhen misses out on N17b payday after Napoli's UCL loss to Barcelona

‘Thank you’ - Osimhen’s girlfriend Stefanie Ladewig grateful for being the mother of his child

‘Thank you’ - Osimhen’s girlfriend Stefanie Ladewig grateful for being the mother of his child

4 reasons why Victor Osimhen should choose Arsenal over Chelsea, Manchester United and PSG

4 reasons why Victor Osimhen should choose Arsenal over Chelsea, Manchester United and PSG

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT