UAE—The M42 group’s Danat Al Emarat Hospital for Women & Children has established a unique partnership with ProFaM, a UK company, to provide ovarian tissue cryopreservation (OTC).
The goal of this innovative service is to assist women in naturally delaying menopause and preserving their fertility.
The declaration was made during Arab Health 2025, a significant occasion in the UAE’s continuous efforts to promote fertility and women’s health.
Ovarian tissue cryopreservation involves freezing a small piece of ovarian tissue, ideally before the age of 35.
This tissue can later be re-implanted during the perimenopausal phase to maintain hormonal balance, delay the onset of menopause, and, if necessary, preserve fertility.
Unlike traditional egg freezing, which involves hormone stimulation and IVF cycles, OTC is minimally invasive and can be done in a short day-case procedure.
This innovative service offers hope to women facing cancer treatments or conditions like endometriosis, who may otherwise risk fertility loss.
It also presents an alternative to hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for those wishing to postpone menopause naturally.
As a result, this partnership addresses the growing demand for options that empower women to make proactive choices about their health.
ProFaM’s expertise in fertility preservation is backed by global leaders in the field, including Professor Simon Fishel and Professor Christiani Amorim, renowned authorities on ovarian tissue research.
With their knowledge and Danat Al Emarat’s advanced healthcare facilities, this collaboration represents a significant milestone in regional women’s healthcare.
The service is expected to launch in the first half of this year.
Initially offered as an elective service, OTC will also be available as part of laparoscopic procedures, such as those performed for endometriosis.
A key partner in this initiative is the Abu Dhabi Biobank, which will cryogenically store the ovarian tissue at -196°C, ensuring its preservation for up to 15 years.
The preserved tissue will be available to physicians at Danat Al Emarat Hospital when needed for a patient’s hormonal therapy.
Dr. Summia Zaher, CEO of Danat Al Emarat Hospital, emphasized that the partnership addresses a significant need in the region, especially as more women opt to conceive later in life or seek better menopause management.
She noted that this service gives women more control over their reproductive and hormonal health, providing them with greater autonomy in managing their fertility and menopause.
Professor Simon Fishel, Co-Founder of ProFaM, expressed his excitement about the collaboration, highlighting that OTC offers both a natural method for hormonal health management and a revolutionary solution for fertility preservation.
Dr. Zahid Khan, Consultant Gynecologist and Advanced Laparoscopic Surgeon at Danat Al Emarat, added that the project aims to empower women by offering more options for reproductive health, positioning the service as a game-changer in women’s healthcare.
This partnership is set to benefit not only women in the UAE but also those in the broader Middle East and beyond.
By offering a more culturally acceptable alternative to egg freezing, it fills a vital gap in the market, giving women more choices in managing their reproductive health.
Danat Al Emarat and ProFaM plan to expand this service across M42 healthcare assets, contributing to a regional and global shift in women’s health solutions.
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