Ovarian rejuvenation using stem cells: the latest news
During the 34th Congress of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE) there was also talk of ovarian rejuvenation and the latest (beautiful) news including the birth of three children thanks to this technique.
What is ovarian rejuvenation?
It is a technique that aims to rejuvenate the ovarian tissue through the transplantation of bone marrow stem cells into the ovarian artery.
The study was directed by the co-president of IVI , Prof. Antonio Pellicer, by doctors Sonia Herraiz, IVI, and Monica Romeu, La Fe hospital in Valencia, with the collaboration of Dr. Nuria Pellicerr who presented the results during the congress .
The second phase of the ovarian rejuvenation study was recently accepted by the journal Fertility & Sterility and will be published shortly.
The ovarian rejuvenation technique was developed to help women with low response and early ovarian failure who are unable to conceive due to ovarian problems.
“ Currently – declares Dr. Daniela Galliano, Director of the IVI Center in Rome – IVI already has three children born thanks to the technique, of which it is a world pioneer, of ovarian rejuvenation through bone marrow stem cell transplantation (BMDSC, Bone Marrow-Derived Stem Cells) in the ovarian artery .
The three phases of the study
The first phase of the study saw the use of animal models: human tissue was implanted in mice to verify the efficacy of the stem cell treatment.
The second phase saw the use of the treatment on 20 patients with low ovarian response. Stem cells were extracted from the peripheral blood and reintroduced into the ovary to reverse the aging process and thus activate dormant follicles.
“ In the second phase ” Dr. Pellicer explained during the congress, “ we saw that the technique helped to improve the ovarian response and increased the production of oocytes, but being the patients with low ovarian response of advanced maternal age, a high percentage of embryo was aneuploid, that is, it suffered from chromosomal alterations. We also found a lot of variability in the low responders, and sometimes the variability could mask the results. We later found that menopausal or pre-menopausal patients, i.e., with early ovarian failure, could respond better to the treatment, and we decided to design a new phase of the study. ”
For the third phase, women under the age of 38 are currently being recruited exclusively with premature ovarian insufficiency . This last phase in turn involves two approaches.
- in one group the stem cells will be activated, extracted and reintroduced into the ovary.
- Another group will take a less invasive route, still activating the cells and then circulating them around the affected area with the aim of reversing the aging process and promoting the activation of dormant follicles.
“With this latest approach ” explains Professor Antonio Pellicer, director of the study ” we hope to verify whether, by the mere fact of increasing the number of stem cells and making them circulate in the blood system, these are able to reach the ovary and to act on it. Our idea, when we have a clear response from the cells, is to develop a technique that is as least invasive as possible and standardize it, to be able to apply it in any clinic ”.
A current alternative to this technique of ovarian rejuvenation, which is also in an experimental phase, is the Ovarian Fragmentation for Follicular Activation (OFFA) .
Kathryn Barlow is an OB/GYN doctor, which is the medical specialty that deals with the care of women's reproductive health, including pregnancy and childbirth.
Obstetricians provide care to women during pregnancy, labor, and delivery, while gynecologists focus on the health of the female reproductive system, including the ovaries, uterus, vagina, and breasts. OB/GYN doctors are trained to provide medical and surgical care for a wide range of conditions related to women's reproductive health.