First woman in Greece gives birth after ovarian transplant
A 39-year-old woman who had undergone an ovarian tissue transplant, became the first in Greece to give birth to a baby boy last Saturday (June 8).
The boy, weighing 3 kilograms and 20 grams was delivered by caesarean section.
Irini Koka was diagnosed with Hodgkins lymphoma 16 years ago, and underwent chemotherapy and radiation therapy. In 2013, the specific hematological cancer reappeared, only this time she resorted to cryopreservation of 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. With this method, 210 children have been born internationally, since the first child in the world in 2004, with a birth rate of 21%, with similar pregnancy rates, both from natural conception and after IVF,” he added.
“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,” Koka said.
