Edinburgh Fertility & Reproductive Endocrine Centre

Researchers and clinicians in Edinburgh have had a long interest in oncofertility, dating back to the early 1990s when studies by David Baird, Roger Gosden and colleagues using sheep demonstrated that it was possible to successfully cryopreserve ovarian cortex, and that after replacing it the sheep ovulated and indeed were able to conceive. Following this key discovery we started offering ovarian tissue cryopreservation to a limited number of women meeting strict criteria in the mid 1990’s, and this has been extended to offering it to prepubertal girls as well.  The latter is in very close collaboration with Professor Hamish Wallace, Paediatric Oncologist, and other colleagues at The Royal Hospital for Sick Children.  This programme of work, led by Professor Richard Anderson, is set up as a clinical trial with Ethical Committee approval. For adult women, the service is based at the Edinburgh Fertility and Reproductive Endocrine Centre in The Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh.  This Centre also offers embryo cryopreservation to cancer patients within the NHS but at present oocyte vitrification is not available on that basis.  This is currently being reviewed by the Health Board. Richard Anderson, Elsie Inglis Professor of Clinical Reproductive Science, Richard.Anderson@ed.a.c.uk For paediatric referrals, please contact Professor Hamish Wallace, Hamish.Wallace@NHS.net.