Women in Abu Dhabi can now delay menopause by up to 10 years and significantly extend their reproductive years through a medical procedure doctors say is being offered for the first time in the region.
Doctors at Danat Al Emarat Hospital are using cryopreservation, a technique that involves the freezing and storing of ovarian tissue over a time period of the patient's choosing, which can then be transplanted back years later. Once returned, this tissue functions as it did at the time of harvesting, meaning a 50-year-old woman could have ovaries as young as 25.
The tissue is collected through keyhole surgery, before it is sliced into tiny sections and frozen. When a woman reaches menopause, the tissue can be thawed and reimplanted, allowing her ovaries to start producing hormones and releasing eggs once again.
The concept is not a new one; it has been used for years to help young women undergoing chemotherapy preserve their fertility and have children after cancer treatment. However, its use as a means to delay menopause is a more recent development.
“The indications for ovarian tissue cryopreservation have expanded beyond cancer patients. It is now an option for women who want to freeze their biological clock and protect their future fertility,” Dr Summia Zaher, chief executive and medical director of Danat Al Emarat, part of Abu Dhabi health tech company, M42, told The National.
“This includes women with a history of premature ovarian failure, who are at risk of early menopause, as well as those who simply wish to delay menopause and avoid hormone replacement therapy (HRT).”
How cryopreservation can improve quality of life
Menopause typically occurs around the age of 51, marking the end of a woman's reproductive years. It is often accompanied by symptoms such as hot flushes, night sweats, and vaginal dryness, which can significantly impact quality of life. While hormone replacement therapy (HRT) has long been the primary treatment for managing menopausal symptoms, ovarian tissue preservation offers a natural alternative by restoring the body's own hormone production.
Cryopreservation: A timeline
- Keyhole surgery under general anaesthetic
- Ovarian tissue surgically removed
- Tissue processed in a high-tech facility
- Tissue re-implanted at a time of the patient’s choosing
- Full hormone production regained within 4-6 months
“With women now living much longer, many spend 30 to 40 years in menopause,” Dr Zaher said. “Currently, the primary treatment for managing menopause-related symptoms is HRT, which uses artificial hormones to address the significant health risks associated with menopause, such as cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, and urinary incontinence. However, by preserving a woman’s natural hormone production through ovarian tissue cryopreservation, it may be possible to delay menopause and its associated complications.”
Dr Zaher said it is “ideal” for women to have the treatment before the age of 35. “The younger the better because it freezes your biological clock at that point that was made. So the earlier you do it, the better,” she said.
After the ovarian tissue is reimplanted, the woman will experience the natural hormonal cycle of the age she was when the tissue was frozen. This means she will resume menstruation and eventually go through menopause at a later stage, following a more gradual and natural transition.
“This is truly a phenomenon of the modern age. In many ways, we are experiencing the consequences of our own success – medical advancements have extended life expectancy well beyond what it once was,” Dr Zaher said. “Women who previously lived into their 50s or 60s are now reaching their 80s and 90s, spending a significant portion of their lives without the protective effects of oestrogen. This poses major health challenges, as oestrogen plays a crucial role in preventing conditions such as osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease.”
Dr Zaher said cryopreservation offers a safer and more long-term option than HRT. “Simply relying on artificial HRT is not a sufficient long-term solution, as it carries its own risks,” she explained. “Instead, we must continue to innovate and explore new ways to support women’s health as they age.”
What is the procedure?
The procedure itself takes a few minutes, Dr Zaher said. It requires keyhole surgery done under general anaesthetic as a day case, so patients can go home the same day.
The first step is the surgical removal of a small portion of one of the ovaries which can be done opportunistically when you are undergoing another procedure such as a laparoscopy, or C-section,” Dr Zaher explained. “This small amount of tissue is then processed in a specialised, high-tech facility to make tiny strips of only a few millimetres.” Once reimplanted years later, most women gain full hormone production within four to six months, Dr Zaher added.
Danat Al Emarat will perform the procedure on two women in the coming months. The procedure is not covered by insurance, and there is no requirement for the patient to be married. The hospital did not disclose the cost of the procedure.
Divided opinion
Providing menopause solutions offer specialised preventive care and education, ensuring every woman's well-being is a priority, said Dr Neha Gami, a consultant in obstetrics and gynaecology at the HealthPlus Family Centre in Al Bandar, Abu Dhabi.
“Women make up 50 per cent of the global population, but tend to neglect their own health needs, especially when it comes to menopause,” Dr Gami said. “Empowering women starts with addressing their unique needs. Offering a variety of approaches and options enables women to make informed decisions. Moreover, our clinic signifies a broader recognition of menopause which helps to destigmatise and encourage open conversation.”
While experts agree that cryopreservation does offer health benefits, there is still much debate about its long-term effectiveness and the ethics behind it.
“Restoring ovarian function naturally might provide an alternative to HRT, possibly reducing health risks like increased chances of blood clots or breast cancer, Dr Ruhil Badiani, a family physician at Cornerstone Clinic, said. “This could also improve cognitive function, sexual health, and overall well-being in later years.”
“However, despite the possible benefits, there are concerns regarding the long-term viability and ethical implications of such procedures,” she added. “Cryopreservation is still an experimental technique and its effectiveness and safety remains uncertain. The process of freezing and thawing biological tissue presents risks, including potential damage to the cells and reduced functionality once reimplanted. Unlike egg freezing, which is widely accepted, ovarian tissue transplantation is still a developing field with unpredictable outcomes.”
It is also unclear whether delaying menopause could have unintended consequences in the long-term. “It is associated with increased risks of hormone-sensitive cancers, such as breast and ovarian cancer,” Dr Badiani added. “The body's natural decline in hormone production is not arbitrary; it may serve as a protective mechanism. Artificially extending hormonal activity could expose women to unknown long-term effects.
“Menopause is a natural stage of life. It is not a disease. It is not an illness any more than ageing is an illness,” she added. “While scientific advancements offer new possibilities, they also require careful consideration.”
Squad for first two ODIs
Kohli (c), Rohit, Dhawan, Rayudu, Pandey, Dhoni (wk), Pant, Jadeja, Chahal, Kuldeep, Khaleel, Shami, Thakur, Rahul.
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Just as McDonald’s has the Big Mac, Jollibee has Spicy Chickenjoy – a piece of fried chicken that’s crispy and spicy on the outside and comes with a side of spaghetti, all covered in tomato sauce and topped with sausage slices and ground beef. It sounds like a recipe that a child would come up with, but perhaps that’s the point – a flavourbomb combination of cheap comfort foods. Chickenjoy is Jollibee’s best-selling product in every country in which it has a presence.
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Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
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More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
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Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
The Year Earth Changed
Directed by:Tom Beard
Narrated by: Sir David Attenborough
Stars: 4
Company%20profile
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One in nine do not have enough to eat
Created in 1961, the World Food Programme is pledged to fight hunger worldwide as well as providing emergency food assistance in a crisis.
One of the organisation’s goals is the Zero Hunger Pledge, adopted by the international community in 2015 as one of the 17 Sustainable Goals for Sustainable Development, to end world hunger by 2030.
The WFP, a branch of the United Nations, is funded by voluntary donations from governments, businesses and private donations.
Almost two thirds of its operations currently take place in conflict zones, where it is calculated that people are more than three times likely to suffer from malnutrition than in peaceful countries.
It is currently estimated that one in nine people globally do not have enough to eat.
On any one day, the WFP estimates that it has 5,000 lorries, 20 ships and 70 aircraft on the move.
Outside emergencies, the WFP provides school meals to up to 25 million children in 63 countries, while working with communities to improve nutrition. Where possible, it buys supplies from developing countries to cut down transport cost and boost local economies.
The BIO:
He became the first Emirati to climb Mount Everest in 2011, from the south section in Nepal
He ascended Mount Everest the next year from the more treacherous north Tibetan side
By 2015, he had completed the Explorers Grand Slam
Last year, he conquered K2, the world’s second-highest mountain located on the Pakistan-Chinese border
He carries dried camel meat, dried dates and a wheat mixture for the final summit push
His new goal is to climb 14 peaks that are more than 8,000 metres above sea level
THREE
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Tips to stay safe during hot weather
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
- Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
- Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
- Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
- Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
- Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
The%20specs
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How to avoid crypto fraud
- Use unique usernames and passwords while enabling multi-factor authentication.
- Use an offline private key, a physical device that requires manual activation, whenever you access your wallet.
- Avoid suspicious social media ads promoting fraudulent schemes.
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- Store funds in hardware wallets as opposed to online exchanges.
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How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
SQUADS
South Africa:
JP Duminy (capt), Hashim Amla, Farhaan Behardien, Quinton de Kock (wkt), AB de Villiers, Robbie Frylinck, Beuran Hendricks, David Miller, Mangaliso Mosehle (wkt), Dane Paterson, Aaron Phangiso, Andile Phehlukwayo, Dwaine Pretorius, Tabraiz Shamsi
Bangladesh
Shakib Al Hasan (capt), Imrul Kayes, Liton Das (wkt), Mahmudullah, Mehidy Hasan, Mohammad Saifuddin, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim (wkt), Nasir Hossain, Rubel Hossain, Sabbir Rahman, Shafiul Islam, Soumya Sarkar, Taskin Ahmed
Fixtures
Oct 26: Bloemfontein
Oct 29: Potchefstroom
SERIE A FIXTURES
Saturday (All UAE kick-off times)
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Udinese v Hellas Verona (3.30pm)
Juventus v Brescia (6pm)
Sampdoria v Fiorentina (6pm)
Sassuolo v Parma (6pm)
Cagliari v Napoli (9pm)
Lazio v Inter Milan (11.45pm)
Monday
AC Milan v Torino (11.45pm)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Director: Majid Al Ansari
Rating: 4/5
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The biog
Simon Nadim has completed 7,000 dives.
The hardest dive in the UAE is the German U-boat 110m down off the Fujairah coast.
As a child, he loved the documentaries of Jacques Cousteau
He also led a team that discovered the long-lost portion of the Ines oil tanker.
If you are interested in diving, he runs the XR Hub Dive Centre in Fujairah
Why seagrass matters
- Carbon sink: Seagrass sequesters carbon up to 35X faster than tropical rainforests
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- Coastal protection: Reduce erosion and improve water quality
Men's football draw
Group A: UAE, Spain, South Africa, Jamaica
Group B: Bangladesh, Serbia, Korea
Group C: Bharat, Denmark, Kenya, USA
Group D: Oman, Austria, Rwanda
Quick facts on cancer
- Cancer is the second-leading cause of death worldwide, after cardiovascular diseases
- About one in five men and one in six women will develop cancer in their lifetime
- By 2040, global cancer cases are on track to reach 30 million
- 70 per cent of cancer deaths occur in low and middle-income countries
- This rate is expected to increase to 75 per cent by 2030
- At least one third of common cancers are preventable
- Genetic mutations play a role in 5 per cent to 10 per cent of cancers
- Up to 3.7 million lives could be saved annually by implementing the right health
strategies
- The total annual economic cost of cancer is $1.16 trillion
Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
RESULT
Arsenal 1 Chelsea 2
Arsenal: Aubameyang (13')
Chelsea: Jorginho (83'), Abraham (87')
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
Cryopreservation: A timeline
- Keyhole surgery under general anaesthetic
- Ovarian tissue surgically removed
- Tissue processed in a high-tech facility
- Tissue re-implanted at a time of the patient’s choosing
- Full hormone production regained within 4-6 months
