Sveafertil

Sveafertil is dedicated to patients between 1 and 17 years of age who fit the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Girls before puberty in very high risk of infertility, and adolescents after puberty in high risk of infertility, can be included to the study if the doctor judges that there is no increased risk for surgical complications. The risk for infertility is determined by international guidelines that are based on treatments, not diagnoses. Fertility consultation is provided to the family, and information about Sveafertil is provided. Families who wish to participate sign the consent forms together with their daughter. A piece of one ovary is surgically removed under general anesthesia and sent immediately to Karolinska University Hospital in Stockholm. Two thirds of the tissue will be clinically cryopreserved for the child. This piece is reserved for her possible future fertility treatments and cannot be used in research. The remaining piece is given to research that is carried out by Dr. Damdimopoulou’s research group at Karolinska Institutet.

The main research questions in Sveafertil are:

• What kind of cells is child ovarian tissue made of? Are these cells similar to those in adult ovarian tissue?
• How similar are the immature eggs in child ovaries compared to those in adult ovaries?
• In what way is the ovarian tissue damaged by treatments?
• Can immature eggs from child ovaries be matured in the laboratory?

Funding

Sveafertil is established and funded with financial support from Childhood Cancer Fund (Barncancerfonden) and Karolinska Institutet.