Preservation of female fertility in humans and animal species.

A detailed understanding of the cryobiology of gametes and complex tissues has led to the development of methods that facilitate the successful low temperature banking of isolated mature human oocytes, or immature oocytes within fragments of human ovarian cortex. Although many outstanding research challenges remain to be addressed, the successful development of new treatments to preserve female fertility for a range of clinical indications has largely been underpinned by the conduct of extensive, fundamental research on oocytes and ovarian tissues from a number of laboratory and commercially important farm species. Indeed, the most recent evidence from large animals suggests that it is also possible to cryopreserve intact whole ovaries along with their supporting vasculature for later auto-transplantation and restoration of natural fertility.

Principal findings from a multicenter trial investigating the safety of follicular-fluid meiosis-activating sterol for in vitro maturation of human cumulus-enclosed oocytes.

Objective: To evaluate the safety of applying follicular-fluid meiosis-activating sterol (FF-MAS) in vitro to immature human oocytes.

Design: Phase I bicenter, randomized, parallel-group, controlled, partially blinded trial.

Setting: Third-level referral academic centers, including reproductive biology and genetics laboratories.