Last Saturday June 8 saw the first woman in Greece to give birth after an ovarian tissue transplant.
Irini Koka gave birth to a baby boy, weighing 3.20kg, delivered by caesarean section.
According to Kathimerini, the 39-year-old was diagnosed with Hodgkin Lymphoma 16 years ago, and underwent chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
In 2013, the specific hematologic cancer reappeared, only this time she had cryopreservation of her ovarian tissue to protect her fertility, before proceeding with the prescribed treatment.
“For the first time in Greek history, a pregnancy and birth of a healthy child were achieved after ovarian tissue transplantation,” said Konstantinos Pantos, her doctor and general secretary of the Hellenic Society of Reproductive Medicine.
“Science now enables us to overcome more and more obstacles.”
He said this method as seen 210 children born internationally since the first in 2004, at a birth rate of 21 per cent.
These children are born both from natural conception and after IVF.
The new mother said: “My biggest dream came true. I fought and managed, with the help of the medical team, to win the greatest gift of my life, my baby boy.”
“I would like to say to all women who are going through something similar to me that it is worth trying.”
