It goes without saying that virtually everyone thinks about having a family one day. For many of us this process comes naturally and for others it can be more complicated. One of the many difficult moments about discovering that you have cancer is that your ability to become pregnant can be compromised. It can be difficult to predict whether a patient’s fertility might be affected when cancer treatment is completed, but it is a possibility that certainly needs consideration.
The good news is that cancer patients have several options to help improve their chances of having children after cancer treatment is over. Before your treatment starts, it is important to discuss the risk of infertility with your doctor or oncologist. It is never to early to speak with a fertility specialist.
Fertility Preservation Options ARE Available
There are a multitude of options when it comes to preserving fertility in both men and women when it comes to cancer and cancer treatments. We have listed some of the more popular and successful options below. However, each situation is different and it is always best to consult with your doctors on what is the most appropriate treatment plan for you.
Embryo Freezing – Embryo freezing or cryopreservation allows a patient to store embryos for future use. The first step of embryo freezing involves stimulating the ovaries to provide multiple mature multiple eggs. Doctors then remove the mature eggs and fertilize them in the lab with sperm from a partner donor to create embryos. This process is called in vitro fertilization (IVF). Embryos are then frozen and stored for future use.
Egg Freezing – Egg freezing is a process where a woman’s eggs are extracted, frozen, and then thawed for later use. The first step of egg freezing involves stimulating the ovaries to provide multiple mature multiple eggs. Doctors then extract the eggs and freeze them for future use.
Sperm Banking – Sperm banking can often be an effective way to preserve fertility in men. No procedures are required as the man can simply collect his own semen sample and store it at a sperm bank. Tests can be done to ensure the quality of the sample.
Coastal Fertility & Fertile Hope Partnership
Coastal Fertility & Fertile Hope have partnered to help reduce costs of fertility preservation for cancer patients. Fertile Hope's Sharing Hope Program for Women's goal is to help to reduce the costs of fertility procedures and treatments for those diagnosed with cancer during their reproductive years.
Faced with little opportunity to save and budget for the immediate high costs of cancer, most cancer patients do not have extra money for fertility preservation treatments before undergoing potentially sterilizing treatments. In addition, cancer patients have a small window of opportunity to preserve their fertility.
