Woman with returning ovarian tumour gives birth after IVF treatment in Bengaluru

A 32-year-old woman with a returning ovarian tumour has delivered a healthy baby after fertility-preservation treatment and in-vitro fertilisation in Bengaluru.

Treatment

The woman was first diagnosed with a borderline seromucinous ovarian tumour with microinvasion at the age of 30. A large cyst appeared in her left ovary fifteen months later, leading to a second surgery, and the tumour came back in the same ovary within three months. She was then referred to Milann Fertility and Birthing Hospital. Scans at the hospital showed a complex cyst in the left ovary, only two visible eggs, and an anti-Müllerian hormone level of 0.6 ng/ml, which means a very low egg reserve. Her right ovary could not be seen on scans. Doctors recommended removing both ovaries, fallopian tubes, and the omentum as the final treatment for the tumour, but the couple wanted to try for a genetically related child. A team of specialists used a two-stage plan to remove the affected ovarian tissue while saving the remaining tissue for fertility treatment. Tests showed no spread into surrounding tissues. Doctors used a low-oestrogen stimulation protocol for IVF to limit hormonal exposure. After a first failed embryo transfer, tests found chronic endometritis, which is an inflammation of the uterine lining, and treated it with antibiotics and probiotics. A natural-cycle frozen embryo transfer was then used for the next attempt. A single high-quality embryo was transferred, resulting in a positive pregnancy test 14 days later and a confirmed singleton pregnancy at seven weeks. The woman had regular cancer check-ups along with pregnancy care before delivering the healthy baby. "Our priority was to preserve her fertility while minimising hormonal exposure. A personalised IVF approach and natural-cycle embryo transfer helped us achieve pregnancy," said T. Shilpa Reddy, consultant in Reproductive Medicine and Gynaecology at the hospital.

Context

Anti-Müllerian hormone levels are commonly used by doctors to check a woman's remaining egg reserve before fertility treatments. Low-oestrogen protocols help manage cancer risks by avoiding high hormone levels that could trigger tumour growth. This case shows how specialised medical teams balance cancer care with the personal goals of patients who wish to have children.