Could zapper treatment help to tackle infertility?

ZAPPING tissue in the ovaries may help women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) overcome fertility problems. PCOS, which can lead to the ovaries producing too much testosterone, can make conception more difficult as well as causing problems such as acne and weight gain.

Medication can manage the symptoms but if the woman is struggling to conceive, another option is surgery to destroy the ovarian tissue making male hormones, encouraging the release of eggs.

The Ablacare device, on trial with 30 women at the Royal Derby Hospital, has the same effect as surgery, but fires radiofrequency energy via the vagina into the ovary. The researchers hope it will provide an alternative to surgery under general anaesthetic.