Women can now delay the menopause by up to 20 years thanks to a new medical procedure launched by the same scientist who developed IVF.Doctors claim the operation could benefit thousands of women who experience serious health problems that are brought on by the menopause, including heart conditions and osteoporosis.
Specialists also believe the same procedure could help improve the lives of millions more women by delaying the onset of more common symptoms of the menopause, which range from hot flushes and memory problems to anxiety and a reduced sex drive.
The procedure, which costs between £7,000 and £11,000, is being offered to women up to the age of 40 through ProFam (Protecting Fertility and Menopause), a company founded by four world-renowned experts, including Simon Fishel, an IVF doctor.
So far, nine women have had the procedure which tricks their biological clocks. The 30-minute operation involves keyhole surgery to remove a piece of ovarian tissue, which is then sliced up and frozen to preserve it. When a woman enters the menopause the frozen tissue is then thawed out and grafted back into the body. Provided the ovarian tissue survives, it should restore the woman’s declining sex hormones and delay the menopause.