fertility

The One Thing Everyone Believes About Ovaries Might Not Be True

Photo: Steve Gschmeissner/Getty Images/Science Photo Libra

A small but possibly revolutionary study could change the way we think about ovaries forever. The study, conducted by professor Evelyn Telfer at the University of Edinburgh, suggests that, contrary to all previous thinking, ovaries might just be able to produce new eggs.

The study began as an attempt to find out why ABVD, a chemotherapy drug, does not cause fertility problems (most do). Ovarian biopsies conducted on several cancer patients who had used the drug showed a much higher density of eggs than are usually found in fertile women.

“This was something remarkable and completely unexpected for us,” Telfer told The Guardian. “The tissue appeared to have formed new eggs. The dogma is that the human ovary has a fixed population of eggs and that no new eggs form throughout life.”

The research has not been confirmed, though it is extremely promising. “There’s so much we don’t know about the ovary,” Telfer said. “We have to be very cautious about jumping to clinical applications.”

Ovaries Might Be Able to Make New Eggs After All