Irini Kokka, aged 40, gave birth to a healthy baby girl weighing 2,900 grams by cesarean section on Sunday 9/11/2025 at 10:35 a.m. Both mother and neonate are in excellent health and are under close monitoring by the medical team of Dr.Konstantinos Pantos.
Ms. Kokka stated: “Today I hold our miracle in my arms. Every difficulty was worth this moment. Hope is a force that brings life. I thank my doctor’s team for making it a reality.”
Attending physician, President of Genesis Athens Clinic and Secretary General of the Hellenic Society of Reproductive Medicine, Dr. Konstantinos Pantos, noted: “Irini is one of only 33 internationally reported cases to have achieved a second live birth following ovarian tissue transplantation. This outcome provides measurable confirmation of the reactivation of the transplanted ovarian cortex and the long-term preservation of fertility. Where science meets perseverance, limits shift. Congratulations above all to the mother, the father, and the
entire team.”
Seventeen years ago, Ms. Kokka was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma and underwent chemotherapy and radiotherapy. In 2013, following a relapse and prior to subsequent therapeutic protocols, she proceeded with cryopreservation of ovarian tissue to safeguard her fertility. In 2021, after completion of treatment and cured from cancer, transplantation of the cryopreserved ovarian cortex onto her non-functional ovaries was performed at Genesis Athens Clinic. The procedure was carried out under the supervision of gynecologist Dr. Konstantinos Pantos, by a specialized multidisciplinary team of physicians and clinical embryologists at the clinic, in collaboration with a team from Oslo University Hospital (Norway), led by Professor Peter Zoltan Fedorcsak, with the participation of the IVF Laboratory Director, Ms. Maria Biba.Furtermore the surgical event was broadcast live to 13 public hospitals nationwide as an educational event.
After approximately 18 months of restored ovarian function (despite an 8-year chemotherapy-induced menopause), oocytes were retrieved, fertilized with her husband’s sperm, and on 5 October 2023 the first embryo transfer was performed, resulting in the first pregnancy and live birth. Subsequently, following a new oocyte retrieval, fertilization, and cryostorage, on 9 March 2025 thawing and a second embryo transfer at the blastocyst stage were carried out, resulting in the second gestation.
Genesis Athens continues to invest in evidence-based innovation in reproductive medicine, offering hope and prospects to women who face threats to their fertility.
