Preserve fertility, delay menopause: UAE women cheer empowering solution

Dubai: Women in the UAE have hailed an innovative new solution that offers them options to naturally delay menopause and preserve fertility.

Celebrating the 50th edition of Arab Health, a new collaboration announced between Abu Dhabi’s Danat Al Emarat Hospital for Women and Children, part of the M42 group, and UK-based ProFaM, will focus on ovarian tissue cryopreservation (OTC). This process involves freezing a small piece of ovarian tissue, ideally before the age of 35. The tissue can later be re-implanted in the perimenopause or before menopause to maintain hormonal balance, postpone menopause and its effects, and, if required, preserve fertility.

Unlike egg freezing, which requires hormone stimulation and an in vitro fertilisation (IVF) treatment cycle, OTC is minimally invasive and can be performed as a short day-case procedure. It offers hope to women undergoing cancer treatments and those with endometriosis or other benign conditions.

Dorothy-Anne De Freitas, a resident in her 30s diagnosed with breast cancer, is relieved to have an option to preserve her fertility.

“This has been a huge relief. It’s empowering to have a solution that lets me take control of my future despite my health challenges,” De Freitas said.

The solution helps women seeking to postpone menopause naturally or as an alternative to hormone replacement therapy (HRT). It meets a growing need to provide women with innovative options for hormonal health and fertility preservation.

Shaikha Alhmoudi, a mother of three children who is approaching menopause, is looking forward to the option of maintaining her health and quality of life.

“I love being a mom, but as I approach menopause, I’ve started thinking about the changes ahead. OTC offers a natural way to manage those changes without relying on synthetic hormones. It’s comforting to know I have options,” Shaikha noted.

This service will provide women with greater autonomy over their reproductive and hormonal health. Natural hormone restoration through re-implanted ovarian tissue is superior to synthetic hormone replacement therapies, reducing the risk of side effects and improving overall quality of life.

Nichola Stones, a 45-year-old professional who delayed her pregnancy to build her career, noted that such revolutionary reproductive health services allow women to conceive later in life.

“If I had been presented with the option to preserve my fertility through OTC, it would have taken away much of the pressure of the ‘ticking clock’. It would have given me the freedom to pursue my goals while keeping the door open to starting a family when the time felt right,” Stones said.

The project is set to launch in the first half of this year. Initially offered as an elective service, OTC will be integrated into laparoscopic procedures, such as surgeries for endometriosis. Abu Dhabi Biobank is a key partner for this engagement, which will receive the ovarian tissue and cryogenically store it at -196 degrees Celsius in its laboratories. The preserved ovarian samples will be provided back to the Danat Al Emarat Hospital physicians as required, to support the patient’s own hormonal therapy journey for a period of up to 15 years.

Dr Summia Zaher, CEO of Danat Al Emarat, said the solution helps women regain control over their health and well-being and addresses their unmet needs.

“OTC meets a growing need in the region and offers a much-needed option for preserving reproductive health.”

Professor Simon Fishel, co-founder of ProFaM, underscored that the innovative service empowers women to make proactive choices about their health and future.

“Ovarian tissue cryopreservation offers not only a groundbreaking solution for fertility preservation but a natural approach to hormonal health management,” Fishel added.