Video: Preserving fertility with ovarian tissue transplants

>>> in news tonight about women's health, the dilemma faced by many young women who have to endure treatment for cancer while knowing it could make them infer tile. now a relatively new procedure has successfully given some women a second chance by in effect freezing time. our report tonight from our chief medical editor dr. nancy snyderman .

>>> 29-year-old morgan thompson was diagnosed with hodgkin's lymphoma three years ago.

>> it's a shocking thing to have to deal with at any age. at 26 i was not prepared for that at all.

>> reporter: one in every 46 women under the age of 40 is diagnosed with cancer, and during the moster if tile time of a woman's life, the treatment to kill that cancer can leave a woman infertile. there's also growing interest in preserving fertility.

>> i always knew i wanted to be a mom, i was going to have twin girls and a little boy .

>> reporter: morgan was referred to a fertility expert at new york medical college who specializes in an experimental technique called ovarian tissue cryopreservation. freezing ovarian tissue before cancer treatment begins.

>> the over very is taken through a special process. we preserve the ovary for future use.

>> reporter: so far the procedure has resulted in 20 babies worldwide.

>> if you were a cancer patient 15 years ago, your options in terms of fertility preservation would be close to zip.

>> reporter: with her cancer responding to treatment, she's looking forward to a chance at motherhood.

>> you want to be told you have options. you want people to think you're going to be here in order to make that decision to have kids. a procedure like this is amazing.

>> reporter: because the procedure is experimental, it's not covered by insurance. doctors and researchers are working to improve the efficiency of the technique, hopeful it will soon be an established fertility method. dr. nancy snyderman , nbc news new york.

Source: http://video.msnbc.msn.com/nightly-news/49527041/

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