Women at risk of premature fertility loss might have cause for new hope as researchers reveal that human eggs can be developed in the lab from their earliest stages to maturity.
While the feat has previously been achieved for mouse eggs andas given rise to live young after fertilisation, the process has proved tricky in humans.
Experts say the latest development could not only aid the understanding of how human eggs develop but open the door to a new approach to fertility preservation for women at risk of premature fertility loss – such as those undergoing chemotherapy or radiotherapy.
The research could be particularly relevant for girls who have not gone through puberty. Currently, to preserve their fertility ovarian tissue is taken before treatment and frozen for later implantation.
