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Legal termination of a pregnancy resulting from transplanted cryopreserved ovarian tissue due to cancer recurrence

  • Fertility Preservation
  • Published:
Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

To report on a woman who conceived naturally and had a normal intrauterine pregnancy following transplantation of frozen/thawed ovarian tissue but decided to have an early abortion due to recurrence of breast cancer.

Methods

The patient was diagnosed breast cancer and received antineoplastic treatment that forced her into premature ovarian insufficiency and infertility. Ovarian tissue cryopreserved prior to chemotherapy was transplanted following cancer treatment restoring fertility and regular menstrual cycles.

Results

The patient conceived 6 month after transplantation. However, she experienced recurrence of breast cancer and decided on legal termination of the pregnancy in the first trimester.

Discussion

The obtained pregnancy only 6 month following transplantation underlines the ability of the procedure. The recurrence occurred near the original site of the tumor and was most unlikely related to the transplantation. The activity of the transplanted tissue is likely to be destroyed by the renewed antineoplastic treatment she will receive. However, she still has the majority of one ovary cryostored and may later want to undergo additional transplantation to regain fertility or to have menstrual cycles back.

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Acknowledgement

The financial support from the foundations of Civil Engineer Frode V. Nyegaard & wife, The Health Faculty at Aarhus University, the Danish Cancer Society (DP05112/ R2-A41-09-S2), The Danish Medical Research Council (271-07-0452; 09-072265), the Novo Nordic Foundation, Sophus Carl Emil Friis and wife Olga Doris Friis’ foundation, and the University Hospital of Copenhagen, is gratefully acknowledged.

Conflict of interest

None declared

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Biomedicine – Section West, Aarhus University, Ole Worms Allé 2, build. 1170, 8000, Aarhus C, Denmark

    Emil Hagen Ernst

  2. Department of Oncology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark

    Birgitte Vrou Offersen

  3. Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, The Juliane Marie Centre for Women, Children and Reproduction, Copenhagen University Hospital, Faculty of Health Sciences, Copenhagen University, Copenhagen, Denmark

    Claus Yding Andersen

  4. Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark

    Erik Ernst

Authors
  1. Emil Hagen Ernst
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  2. Birgitte Vrou Offersen
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  3. Claus Yding Andersen
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  4. Erik Ernst
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Emil Hagen Ernst.

Additional information

Capsule

A woman achieves pregnancy following autotransplantion of cryopreserved ovarian tissue but undergoes legal abortion due to cancer recurrence.

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Ernst, E.H., Offersen, B.V., Andersen, C.Y. et al. Legal termination of a pregnancy resulting from transplanted cryopreserved ovarian tissue due to cancer recurrence. J Assist Reprod Genet 30, 975–978 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-013-0026-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-013-0026-x

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