Fertility

Preserving fertility after chemotherapy

Dr Roseanne Rosario is a Senior Lecturer in Reproductive Biology in the Centre for Reproductive Health, Institute of Regeneration and Repair at the University of Edinburgh.

Despite survival rates for childhood and young adult cancers having significantly improved, many cancer chemotherapy treatments can damage the ovaries, leading to female infertility and problems with long-term health. There is therefore an urgent need for non-invasive treatments that protect the ovaries during chemotherapy.

Roseanne and her team will build on their research in adults, which has already shown that the naturally occurring anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) can protect the ovaries from chemotherapy damage. Now they will test whether this approach can be improved when used in combination with a second drug, and if it also works to protect the ovaries of young girls, with the aim of developing a simple treatment that could be given alongside chemotherapy to preserve fertility.