Aspiration of immature oocytes during cesarean section for fertility preservation

Background:In vitro maturation (IVM) of immature oocytes is an important technology for selected clinical indications. We previously described a pregnant woman with a history of renal transplantation who underwent oocyte aspiration during cesarean section (CS) for fertility preservation and future surrogacy. Case: A 27-year-old pregnant woman was diagnosed with neck rhabdomyosarcoma at 37 weeks’ gestation. CS was performed with direct aspiration of small follicles from one ovary and oophorectomy of the other. Twenty-one identified oocyte–cumulus complexes were cultured, and 12 mature oocytes and 14 ovarian cortex strips were cryopreserved. Conclusion: Aspirating competent oocytes during CS may serve as an additional means of fertility preservation in pregnant women. The procedure may also be offered to patients with an IVF pregnancy who are scheduled for elective CS.