Combined strategy for fertility preservation in an oncologic patient: vitrification of in vitro matured oocytes and ovarian tissue freezing

A Systematic Review of Ovarian Tissue Transplantation Outcomes by Ovarian Tissue Processing Size for Cryopreservation

Ovarian tissue cryopreservation (OTC) is the only pre-treatment option currently available to preserve fertility for prepubescent girls and patients who cannot undergo ovarian stimulation. Currently, there is no standardized method of processing ovarian tissue for cryopreservation, despite evidence that fragmentation of ovaries may trigger primordial follicle activation. Because fragmentation may influence ovarian transplant function, the purpose of this systematic review was (1) to identify the processing sizes and dimensions of ovarian tissue within sites around the world, and (2) to examine the reported outcomes of ovarian tissue transplantation including, reported duration of hormone restoration, pregnancy, and live birth. A total of 2,252 abstracts were screened against the inclusion criteria. In this systematic review, 103 studies were included for analysis of tissue processing size and 21 studies were included for analysis of ovarian transplantation outcomes. Only studies where ovarian tissue was cryopreserved (via slow freezing or vitrification) and transplanted orthotopically were included in the review. The size of cryopreserved ovarian tissue was categorized based on dimensions into strips, squares, and fragments. Of the 103 studies, 58 fertility preservation sites were identified that processed ovarian tissue into strips (62%), squares (25.8%), or fragments (31%). Ovarian tissue transplantation was performed in 92 participants that had ovarian tissue cryopreserved into strips (n = 51), squares (n = 37), and fragments (n = 4). All participants had ovarian tissue cryopreserved by slow freezing. The pregnancy rate was 81.3%, 45.5%, 66.7% in the strips, squares, fragment groups, respectively. The live birth rate was 56.3%, 18.2%, 66.7% in the strips, squares, fragment groups, respectively. The mean time from ovarian tissue transplantation to ovarian hormone restoration was 3.88 months, 3.56 months, and 3 months in the strips, squares, and fragments groups, respectively. There was no significant difference between the time of ovarian function' restoration and the size of ovarian tissue. Transplantation of ovarian tissue, regardless of its processing dimensions, restores ovarian hormone activity in the participants that were reported in the literature. More detailed information about the tissue processing size and outcomes post-transplant are required to identify a preferred or more successful processing method.

SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION

[https://www.crd.york.ac.uk], identifier [CRD42020189120].

Mitochondrial enrichment in infertile patients: a review of different mitochondrial replacement therapies

Poor ovarian responders exhibit a quantitative reduction in their follicular pool, and most cases are also associated with poor oocyte quality due to patient’s age, which leads to impaired in vitro fertilisation outcomes. In particular, poor oocyte quality has been related to mitochondrial dysfunction and/or low mitochondrial count as these organelles are crucial in many essential oocyte processes. Therefore, mitochondrial enrichment has been proposed as a potential therapy option in infertile patients to improve oocyte quality and subsequent in vitro fertilisation outcomes. Nowadays, different options are available for mitochondrial enrichment treatments that are encompassed in two main approaches: heterologous and autologous. In the heterologous approach, mitochondria come from an external source, which is an oocyte donor. These techniques include transferring either a portion of the donor’s oocyte cytoplasm to the recipient oocyte or nuclear material from the patient to the donor’s oocyte. In any case, this approach entails many ethical and safety concerns that mainly arise from the uncertain degree of mitochondrial heteroplasmy deriving from it. Thus the autologous approach is considered a suitable potential tool to improve oocyte quality by overcoming the heteroplasmy issue. Autologous mitochondrial transfer, however, has not yielded as many beneficial outcomes as initially expected. Proposed mitochondrial autologous sources include immature oocytes, granulosa cells, germline stem cells, and adipose-derived stem cells. Presently, it would seem that these autologous techniques do not improve clinical outcomes in human infertile patients. However, further trials still need to be performed to confirm these results. Besides these two main categories, new strategies have arisen for oocyte rejuvenation by improving patient’s own mitochondrial function and avoiding the unknown consequences of third-party genetic material. This is the case of antioxidants, which may enhance mitochondrial activity by counteracting and/or preventing oxidative stress damage. Among others, coenzyme-Q10 and melatonin have shown promising results in low-prognosis infertile patients, although further randomised clinical trials are still necessary.

Fertility preservation in female oncology patients: the influence of the type of cancer on ovarian stimulation response

STUDY QUESTION

Does the type of cancer influence on the ovarian response to stimulation for fertility preservation (FP) in female oncology patients?

SUMMARY ANSWER

Patients with gynaecological cancer have less number of retrieved mature oocytes compared with haematological and breast cancer patients.

WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY

Concerns about the impact of cancer therapy on future fertility have been raised and FP has become an important component in cancer management. Previous studies analysing FP results in cancer patients have shown conflicting findings.

STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION

This was a retrospective analytical study performed in the Centre for Reproductive Medicine, at St Bartholomew's Hospital, between January 2000 and December 2014. The aim of this study was to analyse the response to ovarian stimulation in cancer patients before undergoing cancer treatment and to determine whether any difference can be attributed to underlying cancer diagnosis. We also report the pregnancy outcomes.

PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS

A total of 531 female patients recently diagnosed with cancer were referred for counselling on FP. A total of 306 patients underwent ovarian stimulation for oocyte or embryo cryopreservation. We compared the baseline characteristics and ovarian response in five main subgroups: breast cancer, haematological cancer, gynaecological cancer, gastrointestinal cancer and others. The primary outcome was the total number of mature oocytes retrieved and pregnancy outcomes.

MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE

The main cancer diagnosis was breast cancer with 145 patients (47.4%); 79 patients (25.8%) had haematological malignancies; 42 (13.7%) had gynaecological malignancies; 20 (6.5%) had gastrointestinal cancer and 20 (6.5%) had other types of cancer. Patients with breast cancer were older (P < 0.001). Patients with haematological malignancies had higher number of mature oocytes retrieved (P = 0.003). The number of mature oocytes retrieved was lower in patients with gynaecological malignancy compared with haematological and breast cancer patients (P = 0.005 and P = 0.045, respectively). The fertilization rate and the number of cycles cancelled were comparable between all the groups. Thirty-two embryo transfer cycles have been done in 22 patients who have returned to attempt pregnancy. Pregnancy rate per transfer cycle was 43.75%, and cumulative pregnancy rate per patient was 54.5%. Live birth rate per patient was 22.72%.

LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION

Apart from the retrospective nature of the study, patients were included over the period of 15 years, and over that time technology has changed and protocols have evolved. The results obtained from subcategory analyses should be interpreted with caution, as in each subgroup there are different types of malignancies with different number of patients in different age groups. Different ovarian stimulation protocols were applied. Only a few patients have come back to attempt pregnancy after being cured from their disease. We do not have follow-up data on these patients; as a result, we are not able to report the survival rate and the reason for non-return for embryo transfer. In addition, we cannot report information on spontaneous conceptions and births. Slow freezing used for embryo cryopreservation, high miscarriage rate and low live birth rate per transfer are other limitations of this study.

WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS

The current study is the largest series analysing each group of cancer separately and showing pregnancy outcomes in oncology patients undergoing FP. These results provide valuable information about the success of this technique in oncology patients.

STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S)

The authors have not received any funding to support this study. There are no conflicts of interest to declare.

In vitro maturation

In vitro maturation (IVM) is an in vitro fertilisation (IVF) technique modified to collect immature oocytes from antral follicles, with the final stages of meiosis completed during in vitro culture. The primary benefit of IVM is that it reduces gonadotrophin stimulation in the patient, thereby eliminating the risk of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) in high-risk patients such as those with polycystic ovaries (PCO) and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). IVM has additional benefits for fertility preservation, particularly in oncofertility patients. IVM research has progressed in recent years to significantly improve success rates and to provide evidence of safety in terms of neonatal and childhood outcomes. More recently, pre-maturation protocols and the discovery of new culture media additives have demonstrated potential to maximise maturation and oocyte developmental competence. In this chapter, we discuss current methodologies used in clinics routinely performing IVM, target patient populations and areas of future research that may improve IVM success.

In vitro maturation of oocytes from excised ovarian tissue in a patient with autoimmune ovarian insufficiency possibly associated with Epstein-Barr virus infection

BACKGROUND

Some reports show that it is possible to isolate immature oocytes from human ovarian tissue retrieved by a cortex biopsy or ovariectomy of non-stimulated ovaries and mature them in vitro. The mature oocytes can be vitrified and stored for in vitro fertilization, which, along with ovarian tissue cryopreservation, is mostly practiced in young cancer patients to preserve their fertility. There is much less data on this new approach in women with a natural ovarian insufficiency, which can be caused by different factors, including viral infection. In this case report this advanced methodology was used in a young patient suffering from ovarian insufficiency which was possibly associated with Epstein-Barr virus and infectious mononucleosis (glandular fever).

METHODS

This case report included a 27-year-old patient who attended our infertility clinic because of ovarian failure as a part of autoimmune polyendocrinopathy that occurred after Epstein-Barr virus infection, which has rarely been reported until now. Although antral follicles were observed in her ovaries by ultrasound monitoring, she was amenorrhoeic with menopausal concentrations of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and without mature follicles. Therefore, a small biopsy of ovarian cortex tissue was performed using laparoscopy to retrieve immature oocytes. The retrieved oocytes were matured in vitro, cryopreserved, and stored for in vitro fertilization and potential pregnancy.

RESULTS

Four immature, germinal vesicle (GV) oocytes were found and removed from tissue, denuded mechanically by a pipette, and matured in vitro in a maturation medium with added FSH and hCG as well as in co-culture with cumulus cells, which were retrieved by their denudation. Three oocytes matured in vitro to the metaphase II (MII) stage and were vitrified for in vitro fertilization along with ovarian tissue cryopreservation.

CONCLUSION

Our results show that Epstein-Barr infection is possibly associated with autoimmune ovarian failure. The devastating impact on fertility in such disorder can be successfully avoided by in vitro maturation of oocytes from excised ovarian tissue.

Improving oocyte quality by transfer of autologous mitochondria from fully grown oocytes

Older women are often the most challenging group of patients in fertility clinics due to a decline in both number and overall quality of oocytes. The quality of oocytes has been linked to mitochondrial dysfunction. In this mini-review, we discuss this hypothesis and suggest alternative treatment options using autologous mitochondria to potentially augment pregnancy potential in ART. Autologous transfer of mitochondria from the patient's own germline cells has attracted much attention as a possible new treatment to revitalize deficient oocytes. IVF births have been reported after transfer of oogonial precursor cell-derived mitochondria; however, the source and quality of the mitochondria are still unclear. In contrast, fully grown oocytes are loaded with mitochondria which have passed the genetic bottleneck and are likely to be of high quality. An increased supply of such oocytes could potentially be obtained by in vitro follicle activation of ovarian cortical biopsies or from surplus immature oocytes collected from women undergoing ART or fertility preservation of ovarian tissue. Taken together, autologous oocytes are not necessarily a limiting resource in ART as fully grown oocytes with high quality mitochondria can be obtained from natural or stimulated ovaries and potentially be used to improve both quality and quantity of oocytes available for fertility treatment.

Accuracy and safety verification of ovarian reserve assessment technique for ovarian tissue transplantation using optical coherence tomography in mice ovary

Except for histological study, there are currently no suitable techniques available for the detection and identification of primordial follicles in ovary of primary ovarian insufficiency patients who have undetectable AMH levels. Also, the ability to locate and quantify follicles on ovarian cortex strips, without fixation, is valuable for patients who could undergo subsequent successful ovarian tissue transplantation. Although optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a well-established high resolution imaging technique without fixation commonly applied in biomedicine, few reports are available on ovarian tissue imaging. In present study, we established standard OCT follicle images at each developmental stage, including the primordial follicle, and demonstrated the efficacy of OCT to estimate IVF outcome in transplanted mice ovary like ovarian reserve tests. Unfortunately, the current commercial OCT could not be used to accurate follicle count the number of follicles for whole ovary, because the maximum depth of examination was 100 μm. And we demonstrated the safety of OCT examination, it did not affect IVF outcome and birth defect rate, and reproductive ability. Although there is room for improvement, these findings will be first step to bring OCT examination a step closer to clinical application for measuring true ovarian reserve and localizing follicles.

Reduced competence of immature and mature oocytes vitrified by Cryotop method: assessment by in vitro fertilization and parthenogenetic activation in a bovine model

This study aimed to evaluate the embryo development competence, the nuclear maturation and the viability of germinal vesicle (GV) and metaphase II (MII) oocytes vitrified by the Cryotop method. Cumulus–oocyte complexes were derived from bovine ovaries and three experiments were conducted. In Experiment 1, GV oocytes were vitrified and underwent in vitro maturation (IVM) or not and their nuclear maturation was assessed by orcein staining. In Experiment 2, GV oocytes and MII oocytes were vitrified or not and the viability was assessed by calcein/ethidium homodimer-1 staining. In Experiment 3, MII oocytes matured before or after vitrification were submitted to in vitro fertilization (IVF) and parthenogenetic activation (PA) in order to evaluate embryo development. No difference was found for the nuclear maturation rate in the GV group (50%) and the GV control group (67%; P = 0.23) and for viability rate (56%; 77%; P = 0.055, respectively). However, in the MII group (27%) viability was significantly lower than that of the MII control group (84%; P < 0.0001). The cleavage rate by IVF and PA was similar in the GV group and the MII group. In contrast, vitrified MII oocytes showed no capacity for blastocyst development after IVF or PA and vitrified GV oocytes were able to develop to blastocysts only after PA, but not after IVF. In conclusion, oocyte vitrification by the Cryotop method reduced the capacity for embryo development. Vitrification of GV oocytes, however, did not influence the capacity of meiotic nuclear maturation and they exhibited higher viability following vitrification at the MII stage.

Vitrification of in vitro matured oocytes collected from surplus ovarian medulla tissue resulting from fertility preservation of ovarian cortex tissue

PURPOSE

The aim of the study was to investigate the maturation rate of immature oocytes collected from ovarian medulla tissue normally discarded during preparation of ovarian cortical tissue for fertility preservation. Further we evaluated survival of derived MII oocytes following vitrification and warming.

METHODS

36 patients aged from 8 to 41 years who had one ovary excised for fertility preservation were included. Oocytes were collected from the medulla tissue and matured in vitro 44-48 h followed by vitrification. Number of oocytes collected, the rates of maturation and post-warming survival were assessed.

RESULTS

On average, 11 immature oocytes were collected per patient. The overall maturation rate was 29 % irrespective of whether the ovary was transported 4-5 h on ice or obtained immediately after oophorectomy. The maturation rate in patients below 20 years of age (55 %) was significantly higher than that of patients aged 20-30 years (29 %) and above 30 years (26 %). The post-warming survival rate was 64 %. No significant relationship was observed between the number of collected oocytes and the age of patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Approximately three MII oocytes were obtained per patient following in vitro maturation (IVM) of immature oocytes collected from medulla tissue, of which two survived vitrification and warming. This approach represents an add-on method to potentially augment the fertility opportunity for cancer patients, especially in young women with cancer where transplantation of cortical tissue may pose a risk of relapse, but the IVM approach is currently too inefficient to be the only method used for fertility preservation.

In vitro maturation (IVM) of oocytes recovered from ovariectomy specimens in the laboratory: a promising "ex vivo" method of oocyte cryopreservation resulting in the first report of an ongoing pregnancy in Europe

PURPOSE

We present our center's experience with 34 consecutive cases who underwent in vitro maturation (IVM) of oocytes obtained from ovariectomy specimens and compare our data with updated literature data.

METHODS

Feasibility and efficiency of oocyte collection during ovarian tissue processing was assessed by the recovery rate, maturation rate, and embryological development after IVM.

RESULTS

On average, 14 immature oocytes were retrieved per patient during ovarian tissue processing in 33/34 patients. The overall maturation rate after IVM was 36%. The maturation rate correlated with the age of the patient and the duration of IVM. Predominately, oocyte vitrification was performed. Eight couples preferred embryo cryopreservation. Here, a 65% fertilization rate was obtained and at least one good-quality day 3 embryo was cryopreserved in 7/8 couples. The retrieval of oocytes ex vivo resulted in mature oocytes or embryos available for vitrification in 79% of patients. One patient with ovarian insufficiency following therapeutic embolization of the left uterine and the right ovarian artery because of an arteriovenous malformation had an embryo transfer of one good-quality warmed embryo generated after IVM ex vivo, which resulted in an ongoing clinical pregnancy.

CONCLUSIONS

IVM of oocytes obtained ex vivo during the processing of ovarian cortex prior to cryopreservation is a procedure with emerging promise for patients at risk for fertility loss, as illustrated by the reported pregnancy. However, more data are needed in order to estimate the overall success rate and safety of this novel approach.

In-vitro maturation and cryopreservation of oocytes at the time of oophorectomy

A 27 year old female presented for fertility preservation prior to undergoing pelvic radiotherapy. She had previously undergone a radical laparoscopic hysterectomy for cervical carcinoma seven months earlier. A trans-vaginal oocyte aspiration was not advisable due to a vaginal recurrence of the disease. Due to a polycystic ovarian morphology (PCO), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) priming with no human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) trigger was performed prior to oophorectomy followed by ex-vivo oocyte aspiration and in vitro maturation (IVM). All visualized follicles were punctured and follicular fluid aspirated. There were 22 immature oocytes identified and placed into maturation culture for 24 h. After this time, 15 oocytes were deemed to be mature and suitable for vitrification. Following an additional 24 h in maturation culture of the remaining 7 oocytes, three more were suitable for cryopreservation. The patient recovered well and progressed to radiotherapy three days later. This report demonstrates the use of IVM treatment to store oocytes for oncology patients in time-limited circumstances.

Live birth using vitrified--warmed oocytes in invasive ovarian cancer: case report and literature review

This article reports the live birth of a healthy newborn using vitrified-warmed oocytes in a young patient with invasive mucinous ovarian carcinoma (stage Ic). Diagnosis was performed after a laparoscopic left adnexectomy. She underwent two cycles of ovarian stimulation, and 14 oocytes were vitrified before fertility-sparing surgery with uterus preservation went ahead. One year later, a transfer of two embryos was performed after insemination of warmed oocytes. Eighteen days after the transfer, she underwent a laparotomy because of abdominal pain, vaginal bleeding and haemoperitoneum. A right cornual ectopic pregnancy in the uterus was diagnosed and a wedge resection was performed to resolve it. One week later, a viable intrauterine pregnancy was confirmed under ultrasound. An elective Caesarean section was performed at week 38 of gestation, resulting in the birth of a healthy boy weighing 2650 g. As far as is known, this is the first live birth reported through vitrified-warmed oocytes in a patient with invasive ovarian cancer. Although oocyte vitrification is an alternative to be considered for fertility preservation in highly selected cases of ovarian cancer, controversial issues are discussed. Fertility preservation is a proven possibility in some cancer patients according to their age, disease and time available until the beginning of their oncological treatment. Although oocyte vitrification is an alternative to be considered for fertility preservation in highly selected cases of ovarian cancer, no live birth has been reported. We report the live birth of a healthy newborn through vitrified-warmed oocytes in a young patient with invasive mucinous ovarian carcinoma (stage Ic). Diagnosis was performed after a laparoscopic left adnexectomy. She underwent two cycles of ovarian stimulation, and 14 oocytes were vitrified before fertility-sparing surgery with uterus preservation went ahead. One year later, a transfer of two embryos was performed after the insemination of the warmed oocytes. Eighteen days after the transfer she underwent a laparotomy because of abdominal pain, vaginal bleeding and haemoperitoneum. A right cornual ectopic pregnancy in the uterus was diagnosed and a wedge resection was performed to resolve it. One week later, a viable intrauterine pregnancy was confirmed under ultrasound. An elective Caesarean section was performed at week 38 of gestation, resulting in the birth of a healthy boy weighing 2650 g. To our knowledge, this is the first live birth reported using vitrified-warmed oocytes in invasive ovarian cancer. Controversial issues are reviewed and discussed.

Ovarian response to controlled ovarian hyperstimulation in women with cancer is as expected according to an age-specific nomogram

PURPOSE

To evaluate the ovarian response to controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH) in cancer patients according to an age-specific nomogram for the number of retrieved oocytes.

METHODS

Retrospective observational study carried out in a University affiliated fertility clinic. Forty-eight patients with cancer underwent ovarian stimulation for oocyte cryopreservation. An age - specific nomogram for the number of retrieved oocytes was built with 1536 IVF cycles due to male factor exclusively, oocyte donation and age related fertility preservation. The number of oocytes retrieved in cancer patients was compared to the expected response according to the nomogram using the Z-score.

RESULTS

The mean number of total retrieved oocytes in patients with cancer was 14.04 ± 8.83. After applying the Z-score to compare the number of retrieved oocytes between women with cancer and the expected response according to the age-specific nomogram, we did not observe a statistically significant difference (Z-score 0.23; 95 % CI [-0.13-0.60]).

CONCLUSION(S)

According to our results, patients with cancer exhibit an ovarian response as expected by age. Despite the limitation of the sample size, the obtained results should encourage oncologists for early referral of women with cancer to fertility specialists.

Developmental potential of human oocytes matured in vitro followed by vitrification and activation

Background

Oocyte in vitro maturation (IVM) and cryopreservation at the time of routine ovarian tissue freezing may be offered to cancer patients as an additional option for fertility preservation. This study aimed to investigate the developmental capacity of oocytes isolated from unstimulated ovaries.

Methods

Immature oocytes (n = 63) from seven consenting premenopausal patients were analysed. Oocytes were collected during routine laparoscopic examination with biopsy of an ovary (cystic adnexal mass, n = 3; cervical adenocarcinoma, n = 2) or oophorectomy (sex reassignment surgery, n = 2) without previous stimulation of the ovaries. The stage of the patient’s menstrual cycle was not considered. Oocytes in all visible antral follicles were aspirated from ovaries, cultured in IVM medium and vitrified at the MII stage before being kept in liquid nitrogen for at least one month. After warming, oocytes were subjected to parthenogenetic activation by chemical stimulus. Their further development was recorded at intervals of 24 hours for up to 6 days of culture.

Results

61.9% of oocytes matured in vitro within 48 hours. The survival rate after vitrification and warming was 61.5%. A total of 75% of surviving oocytes were able to respond to artificial activation, 44.4% of the parthenotes developed to early embryonic stage. However, only 1 in 18 (5.6%) of the resulting embryos reached blastocyst stage.

Conclusions

Oocytes matured in vitro from unstimulated ovaries seem to have limited developmental potential after cryopreservation and artificial activation. Although the outcome of IVM for non-stimulated oocytes is poor, it is currently the only chance besides cryopreservation of ovarian tissue for women for whom ovarian stimulation is not possible due to life circumstances. Based on our preliminary results, we suggest that the use of cryopreserved ovaries for fertility preservation in women with cancer warrants further investigation.

Is vitrification of oocytes useful for fertility preservation for age-related fertility decline and in cancer patients?

The aim of this review is to provide current knowledge on oocyte cryopreservation, with special emphasis on vitrification as a means to preserve fertility in different indications. Major advancements achieved in the past few years in the cryolaboratory have facilitated major changes in our practice. Areas such as fertility preservation for social or oncologic reasons, the possibility to create oocyte banks for egg donation programs, the opportunity to avoid ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome, or to accumulate oocytes in low-yield patients, or even to offer treatment segmentation by stimulating the ovaries, vitrifying, and then transferring in a natural cycle are some of the options that are now available with the development of cryopreservation. We present general experience from our group and others on fertility preservation for age-related fertility decline as well as in oncologic patients, confirming that oocyte vitrification is a standardized, simple, reproducible, and efficient option.

Concise review: fertility preservation: an update

Fertility preservation is an emerging field in medicine that enables men, women, and children to maintain reproductive health when it is threatened by gonadotoxic treatment. Patients affected by other nononcologic malignancies that can impair spermatogenesis and ovogenesis can also benefit from fertility preservation treatments. Age-related infertility can also be overcome by cryopreserving gametes or embryos. The only established methods for fertility preservation in male patients are sperm cryopreservation in postpubertal age and experimental testicular tissue cryopreservation in prepubertal age. In adult women, oocyte cryopreservation is the preferred option, whereas ovarian tissue cryopreservation is the only possibility for prepubertal girls. Fertility preservation treatments must be addressed through a multidisciplinary approach that involves gynecologists, urologists, oncologists, pediatricians, and professionals in the field of medically assisted reproduction to work in coordination to provide patients with counseling and comprehensive information about fertility issues.