Fertility Preservation for Cancer Patients
Understanding Fertility Preservation for Cancer Patients
Cancer treatments like chemotherapy and radiation can have a significant impact on fertility, particularly for younger individuals who may wish to have biological children in the future. Fertility preservation offers an option to safeguard reproductive potential before undergoing treatments that could impair fertility. In this section, we’ll explore the importance of fertility preservation for cancer patients, the options available, and how Empower Fertility can support you through this process.
1. The Importance of Fertility Preservation
Cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery, can damage the reproductive organs and reduce fertility in both men and women. Chemotherapy and radiation, in particular, can interfere with hormone levels, damage eggs, or reduce sperm count, making it more difficult to conceive after treatment.
For individuals diagnosed with cancer, fertility preservation allows you to store sperm, eggs, or embryos before starting treatment. This preserves your ability to have children in the future, even if your fertility is affected by the cancer treatment.
2. Options for Fertility Preservation
There are several fertility preservation options, depending on your gender and situation:
• For Women:
• Egg Freezing (Oocyte Cryopreservation): Women who have a cancer diagnosis and wish to preserve fertility can undergo egg freezing. This involves stimulating the ovaries to produce multiple eggs, which are then retrieved, frozen, and stored for later use.
• Embryo Freezing: If a woman has a partner or is planning to use donor sperm, embryo freezing may be an option. After stimulating the ovaries and retrieving eggs, the eggs are fertilized with sperm to create embryos. These embryos are then frozen and stored for future use.
• Ovarian Tissue Freezing: This is an experimental procedure where ovarian tissue is removed, frozen, and later reimplanted after cancer treatment. This option may be considered for women who need to start cancer treatment quickly and cannot undergo ovarian stimulation.
• For Men:
• Sperm Banking (Semen Cryopreservation): Men can preserve their fertility by freezing sperm prior to starting cancer treatments. Sperm banking involves collecting sperm samples, which are then stored for future use in assisted reproductive procedures like in vitro fertilization (IVF).
• For Transgender Individuals:
• Transgender individuals who plan to undergo hormone therapy or gender-affirming surgery may consider fertility preservation options, such as sperm banking or egg freezing, to retain the ability to have biological children in the future.
