Global trends and collaboration in ovarian tissue transplantation: a 20-year bibliometric analysis.

Abstract: Ovarian tissue transplantation is vital for preserving fertility in female cancer survivors. Since the first human ovarian tissue transplantation in 2000 and the first live birth in 2004, it has received much more attention. However, the research scale, core research teams, and publication quality have not been systematically documented. This lack of foundational data hinders researchers' ability to assess the maturity and prevailing trends within the domain, potentially leading to duplicated efforts and suboptimal resource allocation. Our study addresses this gap by analyzing ovarian tissue transplantation research from 2000 to 2023 to map academic performance and collaboration networks. Key findings reveal Belgium and the USA as leading contributors, with robust international collaboration driving progress. The Université Catholique Louvain emerged as the most productive institution, while Dolmans M.M. stood out as a pivotal researcher. Human Reproduction ranked as the top journal for disseminating OTT advancements. Research trends highlight sustained focus on 'tissue cryopreservation', 'activation', and 'live-birth' through 2023, with disease indications shifting from 'breast cancer' and 'chemotherapy' toward 'infertility', 'leukemia', and 'premature ovarian failure'. This study offers crucial insights and understanding for collaborative work among researchers in the field of ovarian tissue transplantation, as well as recommendations for pioneering authors and journal submissions. Lay summary: Ovarian tissue transplantation is the sole fertility preservation method for prepubertal girls and adult female patients whose anticancer therapy cannot be delayed. Since the first successful human live birth via ovarian tissue transplantation in 2004, this medical procedure has witnessed exponential growth, with more than 200 newborns worldwide having been delivered. This study presents an exhaustive bibliometric analysis that delineates the knowledge structure, authors' contributions, and research trends concerning ovarian tissue transplantation during the 21st century. We reveal that Belgium and the USA are in leading positions in terms of publications, citations, and academic influence. Keywords highlight the developmental trends in research types, ongoing foci, and disease indications for ovarian tissue transplantation. It offers crucial insights and understanding for collaborative work among researchers in the field of ovarian tissue transplantation, as well as recommendations for pioneering authors and journal submissions.