Doctors in Abu Dhabi have successfully frozen five embryos for a 30-year-old ovarian cancer patient, preserving her chance of having children in the future without delaying the start of chemotherapy.
The patient was diagnosed with a recurrent juvenile granulosa cell tumour of the ovary and needed to begin chemotherapy, which can affect fertility.
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Her oncology team urgently referred her to SEHA’s Corniche Fertility Centre to explore options before her cancer treatment started.
Within one week of the referral, the patient had her first consultation at the centre, with ovarian stimulation beginning the following day.
As the patient was married, doctors recommended embryo freezing as the most suitable option.
Eggs were successfully retrieved from her remaining ovary and fertilised, resulting in five embryos that were frozen for possible future use.
The entire process was completed within the available medical timeframe, allowing the patient to start chemotherapy as originally scheduled.
Why timing matters
Dr Arianna D’Angelo, Consultant Physician at SEHA’s Corniche Fertility Centre, said discussing fertility early can be important for cancer patients who may want to have children in the future.
“A cancer diagnosis understandably shifts immediate focus to life-saving treatment. However, concerns about future fertility are equally significant for many patients,” she said.
“Early referral and close coordination between oncology and reproductive medicine teams allow us to provide effective fertility preservation without compromising cancer care timelines.”
Fertility preservation can involve freezing eggs, sperm or embryos depending on the patient’s medical circumstances.
Some chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatments can affect a patient’s ability to have children, making it important to discuss fertility options before treatment begins where medically appropriate.
“In this case, rapid action and integrated planning ensured the patient could proceed with chemotherapy while preserving future family-building options,” Dr D’Angelo said.
SEHA said the case showed how coordination between cancer and fertility specialists can allow patients to receive urgent treatment while also considering their longer-term family plans.
