Evidence on the safety and efficacy of removal, preservation and subsequent reimplantation of ovarian tissue to prevent symptoms from the menopause is inadequate in quality and quantity. Therefore, this procedure should not be done unless it is part of a formal research study, with appropriate governance and ethics approval. Find out what only in research means on the NICE interventional procedures guidance page.
Research should include randomised controlled trials and should report details of:
patient selection, including the age at which ovarian tissue is removed
the procedure, including the techniques used for harvesting tissue and cryopreservation, the timing and the frequency of reimplantation of ovarian tissue, and the association between the amount of tissue removed and reimplanted and subsequent endocrine function
endocrine function in the period between removing and reimplanting ovarian tissue
a comparator group who have pharmacological hormone replacement therapy (HRT).
Patient selection should be done by a multidisciplinary team including clinicians with specialist expertise in managing menopause.
The procedure should only be done by surgeons with specialist expertise in the procedure.