Press Releases
What's the Right Age to Freeze Your Eggs?
by Alice Gomstyn
A new study finds that women who expect to delay pregnancy should consider freezing their eggs a lot earlier than expected More info here
Ova easy: Egg-freeze calculator
By SUSAN EDELMAN
Last Updated: 7:33 PM, June 3, 2013
Posted: 11:46 PM, June 1, 2013
Women who may want to put their fertility on ice to pursue careers can now calculate their odds of having a baby with an “egg-freezing success estimator.” The handy tool predicts a woman’s chances of giving birth based on her age, the freezing method and how many eggs she chills for future in-vitro fertilization. More info here
Oncology group updates guideline for fertility preservation
MAY 28, 2013
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - In a newly updated guideline from the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) on fertility preservation for adults and children with cancer, five additions stand out, the senior author said. More info here
Dr. Oktay and team discovers why women's eggs age with time
February 16 2013
Dr. Oktay and team discovers why women's eggs age with time. His work is published in the prestigious Science Translational Medicine here.
Dr. Oktay establishes Transatlantic Reproductive Technologies Network (TARTEN)
December 30, 2010
Dr. Oktay establishes Transatlantic Reproductive Technologies Network (TARTEN) and is named the first President. He will chair the first International Meeting of Tarten in Istanbul on April 14-17 2010 which will focus on Challenges in Fertility Preservation and Assisted Reproduction.
Dr. Oktay receives the STAR award from American Society of Reproductive Medicine
December 30, 2010
Dr. Oktay receives the STAR award from American Society of Reproductive Medicine. The award is given every 10 years to the selected members of the ASRM for the recognition of their contributions to the scientific society within the past decade.
Press Release: Chinese team reports triggering growth of new eggs in female mice
April 14, 2009
A team of Chinese researchers reported using stem cells to trigger the growth of new eggs in sterile mice. The experiment suggests it may be possible to stimulate the growth of new eggs in women diagnosed with premature ovarian failure and menopause. Commenting at the request of U.S. media, Dr. Oktay called the study, "the most exciting breakthrough in reproductive biology in 50 years." More coverage:
Chinese study: Production of offspring from germline stem cell line derived from neonatal ovaries
New York Times: Evidence That Mice Produce Egg Cells After Birth
ScienceNOW: Recalibrating the Biological Clock?
Press Release: Oktay et al challenge breakfast cereal-baby gender connection
January 14, 2009
Dr. Oktay, Dr. S. Stanley Young and Dr. Heejung Bang are co-authors of a paper published today in Proceedings of the Royal Society B that challenges the assertion that by eating breakfast cereal mothers-to-be can determine the sex of their babies.
Non-cancer patients are discovering FP, but more cancer patients need to hear about it -- especially from their doctors
November 24, 2008
Presenting at the American Society for Reproductive Medicine in San Francisco, Dr. Oktay observed that non-cancer patients are discovering the opportunities that fertility preservation treatments offer them, and now represent the fastest growing segment of new FP patients. Which stands in marked contrast to an online report published the same week in the Journal of Adolescent Health that says some doctors are reluctant to discuss fertlity preservation with cancer patients.
IFP research team reports new fertility preservation procedure to benefit breast cancer patients
June 3, 2008
An Institute for Fertility Preservation research team led by founder Dr. Kutluk Oktay announces the early success of an innovative method known as COST-LESS that will enable breast cancer patients to produce, harvest and cryopreserve their own eggs before undergoing potentially harmful chemotherapy.
Dr. Oktay's work funded by an NIH grant may lead to noninvasive medical treatments to preserve fertility
April 8, 2008
Kutluk Oktay, M.D. to Share the Society of Gynecologic Investigations Prestigious President's Award
March 4, 2008
Dr. Oktay to Present to Breast Cancer Symposium, April 5
(View Event Brochure)
February 8, 2008
Kutluk Oktay, M.D. Awarded the Champions of Hope Award
November 20, 2006
Media Articles
Nature Medicine - A Future, On Ice
An experimental approach promises to change the future for boys diagnosed today with cancer, allowing them to genetically father children of their own instead of facing a life of infertility.
August 6, 2013
Daily Mail UK
Frozen ovary tissue implanted back into breast cancer sufferer, giving fresh hope to infertile women
March 28, 2011
NewsWeek Turkiye (Turkey)
an interview of 50 people who are leaders in their respective fields and asked about predictions for the next decade. Prof. Oktay was one of those who were interviewed. The title reads "Frozen eggs, into space."
January 7, 2011
NY Post
Another pioneering procedure from Dr Oktay; fertility preservation in babies.
July 18, 2010
Doublex.com (Health & Science)
"Rielle Hunter Beat the Odds"
September 21, 2009
Kutluk Oktay, MD - International Coverage (Turkey)
- BUGÜNKÜ RAD?KAL: Tüp bebekte ç???r açacak uygulama
- NTVMSNBC: Do?urganl???n korunmas?nda yeni dönem
- HURRIYET: Do?urganl???n korunmas?nda yeni dönem
Chironian Magazine - New York Medical College
Kutluk Oktay, M.D., Puts Ovaries Away for Safekeeping
Fall/Winter 2008
Chironian, the pretigious house organ of New York Medical College, produced a cover story on Dr. Kutluk Oktay and his accomplished research team who work together at NYMC's research facilities.
Proceedings of the Royal Society B
Dr. Oktay et al challenge breakfast cereal-baby gender connection
January 14, 2009
Dr. Oktay, Dr. S. Stanley Young and Dr. Heejung Bang are co-authors of a paper published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B that challenges the assertion that eating breakfast cereal helps mothers-to-be determine the sex of their babies.
Related coverage:
WebMD: "Is Mom's Diet a Key to her Baby's Sex?
ABC News: "Fueling Modern Pregnancy Myths"
Wall Street Journal: "Does Bran Make the Man? What Statistics Really Tell Us"
E! Science News: "Paper Refutes Notion"
Marie Claire Magazine
"Fertility 101"
February 2009
Dr. Oktay contributed to an article published in Marie Claire titled "Fertility 101" that provides a fertility primer for young women to help them better understand, and care for, their fertility. Marie Claire is a magazine that specializes in women's issues and information.
Nature Medicine - print and online
IFP's innovative treatments described in Nature Medicine
November 2008
Dr. Oktay is quoted in Nature Medicine, a respected journal that chronicles biomedical research. The article provides an excellent summary of the objectives of fertility preservation and includes descriptions for several fertility preservation treatments, all of which are available at IFP. Nature Medicine website.
MedPage Today - online
"ASRM: Fertility Preservation Available for Broader Range of Patients"
Dr. Oktay told a gathering of fertility doctors and professionals that the fastest growing segment of patients seeking fertility preservation treatments are non-cancer patients. The speech was delivered in November at the 2008 conference of ASRM in San Francisco.
Westchester Magazine: November, 2008
"Amazing Medical Breakthroughs"
Dr. Oktay's revolutionary ovarian cryopreservation procedure is included in a summary of "Amazing Medical Breakthroughs" documented in the magazine. Ovarian cryopreservation is a vital treatment that allows breast cancer patients and other fertility preservation patients to freeze eggs and ovarian tissue for later use. Learn more about ovarian cryopreservation treatments offered at the Institute for Fertility Preservation.
Breastcancer.org
Fertility Preservation teleconference Q&A
Dr. Oktay participated in an" Ask the Expert" online teleconference organized by breastcancer.org. During the event, fertility preservation experts joined Dr. Oktay to answer visitors' questions on a wide range of fertility preservation topics, including breast cancer treatments. The teleconference transcript is an excellent source of fertility preservation information.
Newsweek
Dr. Oktay cited in NEWSWEEK article on Fertility Preservation
Kutluk Oktay, MD, Medical Director at the Institute for Fertility Preservation, is quoted in a NEWSWEEK article that discusses a growing awareness among cancer patients to understand their fertility preservation options before undergoing cancer treatments, which can include the potential to damage or even destroy reproductive capacity.
Reuters - Medscape
New method of ovarian stimulation doesn't raise cancer risk
An innovative technique developed by Dr. Oktay and his research team, promises safer ways to preserve fertility to women with breast cancer.
Newsday
Freezing ovaries for later use to keep dreams alive
Ovarian cryopreservation methods developed by Dr. Oktay, offer new ways to preserve fertility, even for the very young.
Newsday
Helping Preserve Fertility
Kutluk Oktay, MD developed and performed the first milestone procedure to remove, freeze, and later reimplant ovarian tissue. The result was a healthy baby girl, born September, 2005. Dr. Oktay continues to lead the way in what has now become a burgeoning technology.
MSNBC
New Fertility Treatment for Cancer Survivors
After surviving cancer, an ABC producer gives birth to the second baby in the world conceived using a new treatment. The process was pioneered by Dr. Kutluk Oktay.
MSNBC
Preserving Cancer Patients' Fertility
Doctors such as Dr. Oktay are working to develop drugs that allow cancer patients to harvest eggs and embryos without increasing estrogen that can be harmful to cancer patients.
ABC News
Cancer Patient Froze Ovaries to Keep Pregnancy Options
Chronicle of a lymphoma patient and developmental work carried out by Dr. Kutluk Oktay to develop an experimental ovary freezing procedure.
ABC News
Doctor Transplants Ovaries, Preserving Women's Eggs
Dr. Kutuk Oktay's efforts to relocate ovarian tissue to abdomens and forearms to help cancer patients preserve fertility.
CNN
Preserving Fertility - One Woman's Story
An examination of the work done by Dr. Oktay and his colleagues to develop fertility preservation techniques to help cancer patients and others...
Media Interviews
Science Translational Medicine: Impairment of BRCA1-Related DNA Double-Strand Break Repair Leads to Ovarian Aging in Mice and Humans. Dr. Oktay and team discovers why women's eggs age with time.
Washington Post: Female Biological Clock Winds Down as Egg Repair Genes Wane.
NPR: Is it prime time for elective ovarian tissue freezing
Dr. Oktay is interviewed by NPR.
NBC-Nightly News: Cancer survivors keep fertility with new treatment
Dr. Oktay appears on NBC nightly news discussing ovarian tissue cryopreservation and transplantation for young cancer patients. Patient Perspective.
Newsweek: Preserving Parenthood
Dr. Oktay is covered in Newsweek for his pioneering work in fertility preservation in children.
NBC-Today Show: Ovary freezing to help cancer patients
Dr. Kutluk Oktay is a central figure in this Today Show segment that profiles the revolutionary procedures being developed to help cancer patients preserve fertility. The story documents three patients – a woman in her 30s, a 16-year-old, and a toddler – all of whom had ovaries removed and frozen in advance of cancer treatments to safeguard their future fertility options.
Turkish Oncology Society: Cancer and Fertility
Dr. Oktay answers questions about the impact of cancer on fertility and fertility preservation options available.
FOX-Fox&Friends: 2-year-old gets ovaries extracted and preserved
Dr. Oktay is interviewed on Fox News for his ground breaking fertility preservation procedure in a 2-year-old girl.
FOX-TV: Dr. Oktay discusses innovative IVF success story
Dr. Kutluk Oktay, appearing on Fox's The Morning Show with Mike and Juliet, described a pioneering fertility preservation procedure in which he removed an ovary from a cancer patient to protect it from the dangerous effects of cancer treatments, and reimplanted it later after which the patient successfully conceived and delivered a baby using her own eggs.
CBS-The Early Show: Dr. Oktay profiled in 'Medical Miracles' series
IFP's Medical Director, Dr. Kutluk Oktay, was interviewed as part of a CBS series titled Medical Miracles where he discussed some of the early success that's resulted from his groundbreaking work to develop a safe fertility treatment to help breast cancer patients harvest eggs before cancer treatments.
CBS-The Early Show - Addendum: Dr. Oktay 'Medical Miracles' follow up
In The Early Show segment linked above, when a participant asked about the results of Dr. Oktay's letrozole research, the doctor provided his verified data and CBS posted Dr. Oktay's rebuttal on its website.
CBS-Katie Couric: Creating Life After Breast Cancer Despite Difficulties
When newlywed Heidi Fener learned she had breast cancer, she thought becoming a mother was almost inconceivable. "Losing my hair was a very scary issue," she said. Each year, about 40,000 women in their reproductive years are diagnosed with breast cancer. Dr.Oktay contributes to this story.
CancerCare Teleconference: Young Women with Breast Cancer
Dr. Oktay participated in a live call-in workshop entitled, Young Women with Breast Cancer: Treatment-Specific Choice, Fertility & Centers.
CancerCare Teleconference: Young Women with Breast Cancer
The feature explores advances in fertility science;
Dr. Oktay is interviewed.
NBC- Copnnecticut: The procedure that could delay or prevent menopause for a decade or more
A doctor at Yale University has developed a procedure that could delay or even prevent menopause completely in some patients.
Video Topics
Educational videos provided to communicate the mission, strategies, and possibilities of fertility preservation and infertility treatments.
Institute for Fertility Preservation - video index
By expert: Kutluk Oktay, MD
Video Topic (min:sec)
How Successful is Oocyte Freezing? (2:24)
ASCO Recommendations for Fertility Preservation (0:46)
Cancer Treatment and Gonadal Failure (1:17)
Impact of Chemotherapy on Ovarian Reserve (5:19)
Fertility Preservation for Non-Cancer Conditions (2:32)
Fertility Preservation Strategies - Embryo and Oocyte Freezing (10:25)
BRCA Mutations and Fertility (2:33)
Pregnancy Outcomes and Safety of IVF with Letrozole Protocol (2:19)
Pregnancy after Breast Cancer (3:20)
Fertility Preservation in Patients with Endometrial Cancer (1:13)
Oocyte Cryopreservation (5:14)
Fertility Preservation in Children (4:54)
Ovarian Tissue Freezing to Preserve Fertility (2:39)
Ovarian Tissue Transplantation (6:19)
Current State of Fertility Preservation (76:14)
Robotic Ovarian Transplant (9:59)
Have a question about something you've seen or heard in our videos? Please contact Doctor Oktay.
Books
1. Turan V and Oktay K. Current Understanding of Clinical Data on Ovarian Toxicity from Cancer Treatments.In: Cancer Treatment and the Ovary. Anderson RA and Spears N (Eds), Elseviere, 2015.
2. Bedoschi G & Oktay K. Ovarian Tissue Cryopreservation: Where are We Now? In: Biennial Review of Infertility. Carrell DT, Schlegel PN, Racowsky C, Gianaroli L (Eds), Springer, Vol 4, 2015.
3. Oktay K & Buyuk E.Frontiers in Fertility. In: Nezhat’s Operative Gynecologic Laparoscopy with Hysteroscopy. Nezhat C, Nezhat F, Nezhat C (Eds). Cambridge University Press, 2013.
4. Rodriguez-Wallberg K and Oktay K. Fertility Preservation in Breast Cancer. In: Fertility Preservation in the Man with Cancer. Mulhall et al (Eds). Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK, 2011.
5. Rodriguez-Wallberg K and Oktay K. Fertility Preservation in Women with Breast Cancer. In: Fertility Preservation: New Developments. Maulik D (Guest), Scott JR, Gabbe SG (Eds). Wolters Kluwer/Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2010.
6. Buyuk E, Oktem O, Sonmezer O, Oktay K. Ovarian Tissue Cryopreservation and Transplantation. Textbook of Assisted Reproductive Techniques-Laboratory and Clinical Perspectives. Gardner DK, Weisman A, Howles CM, and Shooham Z (Eds). Taylor & Francis, Parthenon Publishing Group, 2009.
7. Oktem O & Oktay K. Preservation of Menstrual Function in Adolescent and Young Females. In: The Menstrual Cycle and Adolescent Health. Gordon CM, Welt C, Rebar RW, Hillard PJA, Matzuk MM and Nelson LM (Eds). Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, Vol 1135, 2008.
8. Azim A & Oktay K. Frontiers in Fertility. In: Nezhat’s Operative Gynecologic Laparoscopy with Hysteroscopy. Nezhat C, Nezhat F, Nezhat C (Eds). Cambridge University Press, 2008.
9. Oktay K, Reinecke J, Nohr-Beck L. (Eds and authors). Fertility & Cancer in 101 Questions, 2007.
10. Oktay K & Sonmezer M. Fertility Issues and Options in Young Women with Cancer. In: Recent Results in Cancer Research – Cancer and Pregnancy. Survone, Pavlidis (Eds) Springer Verlag 2006.
11. Oktay K. Ovarian Transplantation. In: An Atlas of Gynecologic Oncology. Smith JR, Del Priore G, Curtin J & Monaghan J (Eds). 2006.
12. Sonmezer M. & Oktay K. Preservation of Fertility in Patients Undergoing Cytotoxic Therapy, Uptodate.com, Version 14.1, Robert L. Barbieri, editor, 2006 - present (updated quarterly).
13. Oktay K, & Buyuk E. Fertility and Cancer in Women. In: Reproductive Medicine Secrets. Chan P, Goldshein M, Rosenwaks Z (Eds). Hanley & Belfus, Inc., 2004;380-384.
14. Oktem O, Sonmezer M & Oktay K. Ovarian Cryopreservation and Transplantation. In: Textbook of Assisted Reproductive Technology and Clinical Perspectives. Gardner DK, Weissman A, Howles CM, Shoham Z (Eds). Taylor & Francis, London, UK:2004;315-327.
15. Sonmezer M & Oktay K. Fertility Preservation in female cancer patients: A comprehensive approach. In: Textbook of Fertility Preservation. Tulandi & Gosden (Eds). Taylor & Francis. London, UK; 2004; 177-190.
16. Oktay K, & Buyuk E. The technique of ovarian transplantation: Laboratory and clinical aspects. In: A color atlas for human assisted reproduction: Laboratory & clinical insights. Patrizio P, Guelman V, Tucker M (Eds). Lippincot, 2003; 229-240.
17. Oktay K. Ovarian Cryopreservation and Transplantation. In: Textbook of Assisted Reproductive Technology and Clinical Perspectives. Gardner DK, Weissman A, Howles CM, Shoham Z (Eds). Martin Dunitz Limited. London, UK: 2001; 279-284.
18. Oktay K, Karlikaya G, Bayrakceken A. New strategies in studying ovarian aging. In: Biology of Menopause. Bellini F (Ed). Springer-Verlac, NY: 2000; 80-88.
19. Oktay K, and Gosden RG. Cryopreservation of oocytes and ovarian tissue. In: A textbook of in vitro fertilization and assisted reproduction, Brinsden PR (ed). The Parthenon Publishing Co. Lancaster, UK: 1999; 303-310.
20. Oktay K. Ovarian cycle and its central regulation. In: Textbook of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Kisnisci H, Gurgan T (Eds). Hacettepe TAS publications, Ankara; 1997.
21. Oktay K. (Editor and author). Pharmacology lecture notes. Hacettepe TAS publications, Ankara; 1988.
Web Links
Living Beyond Breast Cancer - Dr. Oktay answers key questions about breast cancer and fertility
Life on Ice - A patient's perspective on fertility preservation and the first robotic ovarian transplant performed by Dr. Oktay
Tarten 2011 - TARTEN- Transatlantic Reproductive Technologies Network Istanbul Meeting: Challenges in Fertility Preservation and Assisted Reproduction
Livestrong - Male Infertility - Lance Armstrong Foundation site
Livestrong - Female Infertility - Lance Armstrong Foundation site
UpToDate - Consult the medical resource doctors trust
Fertile Hope - Nonprofit organization with a wide range of fertility resources
CancerCare.org - National nonprofit organization that provides free, professional support services for anyone affected by cancer.
Young Survival Coalition - Young women united against breast cancer
BreastCancer.org - Medical information and more
ASCO American Society of Clinical Oncology
ASRM Fertility Preservaton Interest Group