Lab-matured egg produces first baby
Out of the 20 women who underwent In Vitro Maturation or IVM, four have achieved pregnancies and one baby has been born.
Although the research is still in its early stages, the researchers at the McGill Reproductive Center in Montreal have demonstrated that the technique of "collecting oocytes from unstimulated ovaries, matured in vitro and then vitrified, could survive thawing, be fertilised successfully and result in a viable pregnancy after embryo transfer".
Although this treatment has not been tried on women with cancer, it gives hope to patients with cancer related fertility problems.
The IVM is a treatment that is best for people with fertility problems such as Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) or cancer and is not intended for women who only wants to delay having a family.