Fertility Preservation & Oncofertility
Fertility preservation, family planning, reproductive and sexual health for those whose medical treatments may impact reproductive functioning.
Oncofertility for cancer patients Infertility risk factors depend on the patient’s age, sex and treatment type and length. Radiation and cancer medications, especially certain types of chemotherapy, can severely damage reproductive organs. Likewise, harming reproductive organs may negatively impact bone health, sexual function, cardiovascular health and more, since those organs are responsible for producing important hormones.
A thorough oncofertility consultation helps women, men, and children understand their individual infertility risk factors as well as their reproductive options now and in the future, including identifying possible fertility preservation procedures. A qualified oncofertility specialist will also create a long-term reproductive health plan customized to the patient’s specific medical history.
Oncofertility and fertility preservation before cancer treatments
More than 220,000 children, adolescents and young adults, ages 0-39, are diagnosed with cancer each year. Lifesaving cancer treatments may leave these patients with compromised reproductive health, adversely impacting their ability to bear biological children in the future.
Fertility preservation procedures can help patients have children in the future by cryopreserving (freezing) their sperm, eggs or ovarian tissue prior to receiving their life-saving cancer treatments. For those who completed cancer therapy already, in vitro fertilization or third party reproductive options like surrogacy or egg donation may help survivors become parents.
The field of oncofertility is a complex one and straddles the fence of both oncology and reproductive endocrinology.
If you, your child or someone you love is facing a risk to fertility from treatment for a medical condition like cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, Multiple Sclerosis or autoimmune diseases to name a few, please contact our clinic today.