Kutluk Oktay, M.D., Ph.D.
Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology & Director of the Division of Reproductive Medicine and Institute for Fertility Preservation | New York Medical College
Valhalla, NY, UNITED STATES
Professor of obstetrics and gynecology & Director of the Division of Reproductive Medicine and Institute for Fertility Preservation.
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Biography
Kutluk “Lucas” Oktay, MD, FACOG is Professor of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Medicine, Pathology, and Cell Biology & Anatomy, Director, Division of Reproductive Medicine & Institute for Fertility Preservation at New York Medical College (NYMC). Dr. Oktay completed his residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Connecticut Health Science Center in Farmington, CT, followed by a fellowship in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, TX. He was subsequently awarded to be an American College of OBGYN (ACOG)/Royal College of OBGYN (RCOG) Exchange Fellow in the Department of Reproductive Biology, Obstetrics & Gynecology at Leeds University School of Medicine/Leeds General Infirmary in the UK. Dr. Oktay subsequently obtained a Doctor of Health Sciences degree (PhD) from the University of Ghent, Belgium.
Dr. Oktay is also the Vice Chair of Research in the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology at NYMC, and has also served a consultant physician at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and Consultant for Cancer and Allied Diseases at Memorial Hospital and currently continues his active collaborations with renown cancer specialists at MSKCC.
Industry Expertise (7)
Education/Learning
Medical/Dental Practice
Health and Wellness
Health Care - Providers
Health Care - Services
Research
Women
Areas of Expertise (8)
Fertility
Reproductive Health
Reproductive Biology
Obstetrics & Gynecology
Endecrinology
Genetics
Cancer
Pediatric Endocrinology
Accomplishments (7)
Medical Director and Founder (professional)
2013-04-01
Established the Institute for the care of those who are in need of the the state of the art fertility preservation techniques and those with complex infertility problems needing expert solutions. Patients are offered innovative approaches and have the option to participate in clinical trials.
American College of OBGYN (ACOG)/Royal College of OBGYN (RCOG) Exchange Fellow Award (professional)
in the Department of Reproductive Biology, Obstetrics & Gynecology at Leeds University School of Medicine/Leeds General Infirmary in the UK.
Top Doctors in America (professional)
Castle and Connolly
Innovator Award (professional)
From Resolve
Champions of Hope Award (professional)
From Fertile Hope
President’s Cancer Panel (professional)
Dr. Oktay was invited to serve on the President’s Cancer Panel as an expert on fertility issues of cancer patients and fertility preservation. In attestation to his recognition as a leading clinician-scientist in infertility field, he has been continuously funded by the National Institutes of Health to study various aspects of ovarian biology and fertility preservation.
Founder (professional)
Founded the Innovation Institute for Fertility Preservation and IVF (IFP).
Education (5)
University of Gent, Belgium: Ph.D., Medicine and Health Sciences 2015
Hacettepe University Medical School: M.D., Medicine 1986
Dean's List: Graduated in top 4%
TED Ankara College: Baccalaureate, Mathematics 1980
University of Connecticut: Residency, Obstetrics and Gynecology
Health Science Center in Farmington, CT
University of Texas: Fellowship, Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility
Health Science Center at San Antonio, TX
Affiliations (5)
- American Society of Reproductive Medicine.
- Fertility Preservation Special Interest Group
- Fertility Preservation Guideline for People with Cancer
- American Society of Clinical Oncology Committee
- Turner Syndrome Foundation
Links (2)
Languages (3)
- English
- Spanish
- Turkish
Media Appearances (16)
Why Egg Freezing Is An Impossible Choice
Nautilus online
2016-10-06
“There is no study that looks at elective freezing and if doing that helps women preserve fertility,” Oktay said. This, he told me—as did Patrizio—is because very few women, healthy or otherwise, who have frozen their eggs have actually come back to thaw their eggs. So while the data looks promising, doctors can’t make any guarantees—yet.
Cryopreservation and Transplantation Of Ovarian Tissue In Cancer Patients Helps Preserve Fertility
MedicalResearch.com
2015-11-19
Medical Research: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings? Dr. Oktay: Cancer treatments cause infertility and early menopause in a growing number of young women around the world and US. One of the strategies to preserve fertility, which was developed by our team, is to cryopreserve ovarian tissue before chemotherapy and later transplant it back to the patient when they are cured of the cancer and ready to have children.
Does Glow's App Help Women Conceive? The Data's Tricky
Wired online
2015-10-28
“The study is very crude in nature—very similar to an online survey, without controlling for many key factors,” says Kutluk Oktay, a doctor and reproductive endocrinologist at New York Medical College. Perhaps women who use the app more frequently are more actively engaged in trying to conceive, while casual Glow users are less deeply invested in conceiving right now—so they’re not having sex as often, or aren’t doing other things to improve their chances at conception. “It may just be measuring the motivation to conceive, rather than helping to conceive,” says Oktay...
Red flags raised on Glow’s efficacy data claims
Mobi Health News online
2015-10-28
“It may just be measuring the motivation to conceive, rather than helping to conceive,” Kutluk Oktay, a doctor and reproductive endocrinologist at New York Medical College, observed. That’s not to say that Glow doesn’t work, just that the data the company is proffering doesn’t necessarily prove that it does. Wired hopes, and we do too, that Glow will respond with new, more rigorous studies...
Genes Help Set Menopause Timing: Study
HealthDay
2015-09-28
Genetic variations seem to have an impact on the ages when a woman enters both puberty and menopause, researchers report. These findings might lead to ways to help predict the timing of menopause, which marks the end of a woman's reproductive phase of life.
Genes Help Set Menopause Timing: Study
U.S. News & World Report
2015-09-28
Genetic variations seem to have an impact on the ages when a woman enters both puberty and menopause, researchers report. These findings might lead to ways to help predict the timing of menopause, which marks the end of a woman's reproductive phase of life.
New Advancements Could Beat The Biological Clock
Huffington Post
2015-09-28
Advances in infertility treatments are making it easier for women who suffer from infertility to become mothers. Reproductive specialists join HuffPost Live to explain the latest revolutionary technologies giving new hope to millions of couples.
We're tantalizingly close to a new era in childbirth
Tech Insider online
2015-08-24
Fertility specialist Kutluk Oktay is optimistic the technology will keep getting better. He told Tech Insider he thinks research in the next 4-5 years will make PGS more cost-effective and better able to test for things beyond just chromosome number...
Everything We Still Don’t Know About Egg Freezing
wired
2015-08-12
IN AN ERA of egg freezing cocktail parties, it’s easy to forget that cryopreservation is, well, a little lacking in the science department. Women in their 30s and 40s now freezing their eggs for future in vitro fertilization are essentially part of a great, ongoing science experiment. But that’s not the message you’d get from companies like Apple and Facebook offering $20,000 for their employees to freeze their eggs and delay having children.
For Some Women, Egg Freezing is the New Happy-Hour Topic
Philadelphia Inquirer
2015-08-09
The women drifted around the cloth-draped, candlelit tables, cradling glasses of wine and nibbling on cheese cubes. Some, in suits and heels, had arrived directly from work; others, in stylish workout gear, had already been to the gym.
Here’s How Scientists Are Trying To Solve One of the Biggest Problems for Older Women Trying to Get Pregnant
Business Insider
2015-06-24
A key culprit that makes it more difficult for older women to get pregnant is the health of their eggs. Older eggs are more likely to have abnormalities that will prevent them from developing into healthy babies if fertilized.
Cryopreservation Possible For Women With Breast Cancer
Oncology Nurse Advisor
2015-06-24
Kutluk Oktay, M.D., from New York Medical College in Valhalla, and colleagues provided pregnancy and fertility preservation outcomes for 131 women with breast cancer. Participants underwent ovarian stimulation and received concurrent letrozole 5 mg per day before receiving adjuvant chemotherapy and cryopreserving embryos.
Embryo Cryopreservation Feasible for Women With Breast Cancer
Doctors Lounge
2015-06-23
Kutluk Oktay, M.D., from New York Medical College in Valhalla, and colleagues provided pregnancy and fertility preservation outcomes for 131 women with breast cancer. Participants underwent ovarian stimulation and received concurrent letrozole 5 mg per day before receiving adjuvant chemotherapy and cryopreserving embryos.
Cryopreservation May Preserve Fertility in Breast Cancer
Breast Cancer Advisor
2015-06-23
Embryo cryopreservation after ovarian stimulation with letrozole may preserve fertility and pregnancy rates in women being treated for breast cancer, according to a recent study published online ahead of print in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
Woman Bears Child From Ovarian Tissue Frozen When She Was 13
ABC News
2015-06-10
A 27-year-old Belgian woman, who was left infertile after chemotherapy, was able to give birth to a healthy baby boy thanks to a groundbreaking procedure that utilized her ovarian tissue frozen 14 years ago.
Exclusive: Meet the World’s First Baby Born With an Assist from Stem Cells
TIME online
2015-05-07
Because the procedure is so new, some reproductive science experts are skeptical. What’s lacking, they say, is convincing evidence comparing pregnancy rates of women undergoing Augment to those with similar infertility problems who didn’t use the technique. So far, no formal clinical trials have been conducted; the only data on the procedure comes from recent presentations by Dr. Robert Casper of University of Toronto and Dr. Kutluk Oktay from Gen-ART IVF in Ankara, Turkey, both of whom are advisors to OvaScience...
Research Focus (1)
Leading expert in fertility preservation
Clinician-scientist as well as in ovarian stimulation and in vitro fertilization.
Dr. Oktay’s professional life has been dedicated to the science of fertility preservation and infertility treatments. He developed and performed the world’s first ovarian transplantation procedures and pioneered new ovarian stimulation protocols for embryo and oocyte freezing for breast and endometrial cancer patients. In addition, he described the first oocyte freezing protocols in young pubertal girls with Turner syndrome and other medical conditions. He has championed fertility preservation in children of all ages. Dr. Oktay conducted key research on ovarian follicle and embryo development, as well as on controlled ovarian stimulation and in vitro fertilization. Following his first description of the relationship between BRCA mutations and low ovarian reserve, his work led him to discover a key role for DNA repair efficiency in oocyte aging.
Articles (selected) (23)
Long-term safety of letrozole and gonadotropin stimulation for fertility preservation in women with breast cancer
Kim JY, Turan V, Oktay K.
2016-01-11
jc20153878. [Epub ahead of print]
Oogonial Precursor Cell-Derived Autologous Mitochondria Injection to Improve Outcomes in Women...
Reproductive Sciences
2015-12-22
View pdf file.
Can ovarian suppression with gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogs (GnRHa) preserve fertility in cancer patients?
Oxford Journals
2015-11-25
In a meta-analysis of 12 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) including those presented at major meetings, Lambertini et al. concluded that gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogs (GnRHa) co-treatment during chemotherapy reduces premature ovarian failure (POF) and increases pregnancy rate without impacting disease-free-survival (DFS) in women with breast cancer [1]. As fertility specialists and oncologists, we have several concerns with this interpretation.
First Pregnancies, Livebirth, In Vitro Fertilization Outcomes After Transplantation of Frozen-Banked Ovarian Tissue with a Human Extracellular Matrix Scaffold
American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology
2015-11-19
Topic: First Pregnancies, Livebirth and In Vitro Fertilization Outcomes After Transplantation of Frozen-Banked Ovarian Tissue with a Human Extracellular Matrix Scaffold using Robot-Assisted Minimally Invasive Surgery Oktay K, Bedoschi G, Pacheco F, Turan V, Emirdar T 2016 Jan; 214(1):94.e1-9. doi: 10.1016/j.ajog.2015.10.001. Epub PMID:26601616 Editor’s Choice/Cover Article
Oogonial Precursor Cell-Derived Autologous Mitochondria Injection to Improve Outcomes in Women With Multiple IVF Failures Due to Low Oocyte
Reproductive Sciences
Oktay K, Baltaci V, Sonmezer M, Turan V, Unsal E, Baltaci A, Aktuna S, Moy F. Quality: A Clinical Translation. (12):1612-7. doi: 10.1177/1933719115612137. PMID: 26567266
First pregnancies, live birth, and in vitro fertilization outcomes after transplantation...
Science Direct
2015-11-18
We attempted to improve the technique with the utility of a human decellularized extracellular tissue matrix (ECTM) scaffold, robot-assisted minimally invasive surgery, and perioperative pharmacological support.
Fertility Preservation in Females with Turner Syndrome: Comprehensive Review and Practical Guidelines
Journal of Pediatric & Adolescent Gynecology
2015-10-17
Oktay K, Bedoschi G, Berkowitz K, Bronson R, Kashani B, McGovern P, Pal L, Quinn G, Rubin K. pii: S1083-3188(15)00357-5. doi: 10.1016/j.jpag.2015.10.011. [Epub ahead of print] PMID:26485320
Failure of GnRHa to Preserve Fertility: An Appraisal Based on the Quality of Evidence
JAMA Oncology
2015-10-01
Oktay K and Turan V. 1-2. doi: 10.1001/jamaoncol.2015.3252. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 26426406
BRCA Mutations, DNA Repair Deficiency and Ovarian Aging
Biology of Reproduction
2015-07-29
Oktay K, Turan V, Titus S, Stobezki R, Liu L. pii: biolreprod.115.132290. [Epub ahead of print]PMID:26224004
Ovarian protection during adjuvant chemotherapy
The New England Journal of Medicine
2015-06-04
Oktay K, Rodriguez-Wallberg K, Munster P. 372(23):2268-9. doi:10.1056/NEJMc1504241#SA2. PubMed PMID: 26039611.
Fertility Preservation Success Subsequent to Concurrent Aromatase Inhibitor Treatment and Ovarian Stimulation in Women with Breast Cancer
Journal of Clinical Oncology
2015-07-22
Oktay K, Turan V, Bedoschi G, Pacheco F, Moy F. pii:JCO.2014.59.3723. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 26101247.
Age-Related Decline in DNA Repair Function Explains Diminished Ovarian Reserve, Earlier Menopause, and Possible Oocyte Vulnerability to Chemotherapy in Women With BRCA Mutations
Journal of Clinical Oncology
2014-02-18
Oktay K, Moy F, Titus S, Stobezki R, Turan V, Dickler M, Goswami S. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 24550421
Sphingosine-1-phosphate prevents chemotherapy-induced human primordial follicle death
Human Reproduction
Li F, Turan V, Lierman S, Cuvelier C, De Sutter P, Oktay K. (1):107-13. doi: 10.1093/humrep/det391. Epub 2013 Nov 12. PubMed PMID: 24221908; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3860896.
Safety and feasibility of performing two consecutive ovarian stimulation cycles with the use of letrozole-gonadotropin protocol for fertility preservation in breast cancer patients
Fertility and Sterility
Turan V, Bedoschi G, Moy F, Oktay K. doi:pii: S0015-0282(13)02996-8. 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2013.08.030. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 24055050
Fertility Preservation for patients with cancer: American Society of Clinical Oncology clinical practice guideline update
Journal of Clinical Oncology
2013-07-01
Loren A, Mangu PB, Nohr Beck L, Brennan L, Magdalinski AJ, Partridge AH, Quinn G, Wallace WH, and Oktay K. 31(19):2500-10. doi: 10.1200/JCO.2013.49.2678. Epub 2013 May 28. PMID: 23715580
Age-specific proability of livebirth after oocyte cryopreservation: An individual patient data meta-analysis
Fertility and Sterility
2013-08-01
Cil A, Bang H, Oktay K. 100(2):492-499.e3. doi: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2013.04.023. Epub 2013 May 24. PMID: 23706339
Impairment of BRCA1-Related DNA Double-Strand Break Repair Leads to Ovarian Aging in Mice and Humans
Search Results Science Translational Medicine
2013-02-13
Titus S, Li F, Stobezki R, Akula K, Unsal E, Jeong K, Dickler M, Robson M, Moy F, Goswami S, Oktay K. 5(172):172ra21. doi: 10.1126/scitranslmed.3004925. PMID: 23408054 [PubMed - in process]
Efficiency of oocyte cryopreservation: a meta-analysis
Fertility and Sterility
2006 ABSTRACT: To determine the efficiency of oocyte cryopreservation relative to IVF with unfrozen oocytes...
American Society of Clinical Oncology recommendations on fertility preservation in cancer patients
Journal of Clinical Oncology
2006 ABSTRACT: To develop guidance to practicing oncologists about available fertility preservation methods and related issues in people treated for cancer. Methods An expert panel and a writing committee were formed. The questions to be addressed by the guideline were ...
Embryo development after heterotopic transplantation of cryopreserved ovarian tissue
The Lancet
2004 ABSTRACT: Cancer treatments, including chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and radical surgery, can induce premature menopause and infertility in hundreds of thousands of women of reproductive age every year. One of the ways to possibly preserve fertility ...
Fertility preservation in female patients
Human Reproduction Update
2004 ABSTRACT: In the USA alone,> 650 000 women will be afflicted by cancer in 2003, and 8% of these cases will be aged< 40 years. Due to improvements in cancer therapy, cure rates of both adult and childhood cancers increased significantly over the past three decades. ...
Ovarian function after transplantation of frozen, banked autologous ovarian tissue
New England Journal of Medicine
2000 ABSTRACT: We would like to comment on the design and interpretation of the recent study by the Heart Outcomes Prevention Evaluation (HOPE) investigators on vitamin E supplementation and cardiovascular events (Jan. 20 issue). Although this study was ...
Impaired DNA Repair as a Mechanism for Oocyte Aging: Is It Epigenetically Determined?
Thieme Journals
2015-11-12
DNA damage is one of the most common insults that challenge all cells, and more so in resting cell-like oocytes. Increased DNA damage in aged oocyte has been shown to negatively impact the reproductive outcomes.
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