Fertility (13)
- Fertility preservation: Understand your options before cancer treatment
- Female fertility: Why lifestyle choices count
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Fertility preservation: Understand your options before cancer treatment
Can fertility preservation decrease the chance of having successful cancer therapy or increase the risk of recurring cancer?
Research on whether taking fertility preservation steps can affect the success of cancer therapy or the risk of recurring cancer is limited. There's no evidence that current fertility preservation methods can directly compromise the success of cancer treatments. However, you could potentially compromise the success of your treatment if you delay surgery or chemotherapy to pursue fertility preservation. While there appears to be no increased risk of cancer recurrence associated with most fertility preservation methods, further research is needed to determine whether ovarian stimulation can harm women who have hormone-sensitive tumors, as in some types of breast cancer.
Can cancer treatment or fertility preservation methods increase the risk of health problems in children conceived afterward?
As long as you don't expose your baby to cancer treatments in utero, there's no evidence that cancer treatments or fertility interventions increase the risk of congenital disorders or other health problems for future children.
What can parents do to preserve the fertility of a child who has cancer?
Taking steps to preserve the fertility of a child who has cancer can be difficult because he or she may not understand the consequences of impaired fertility. If your child has begun puberty, options might include embryo, oocyte or sperm cryopreservation. Your consent and your child's may be required. Efforts to preserve the fertility of a child who hasn't begun puberty are considered experimental.
How do I determine the best fertility preservation option for me?
If you're considering taking steps to preserve your fertility before cancer treatment, talk to your doctor, oncologist or a reproductive specialist about your options. Your medical team will consider the type of cancer you have, your treatment plan and the amount of time you have before treatment begins to help determine the best approach for you.
The diagnosis of cancer and the treatment process can be overwhelming. However, if you're concerned about how cancer treatment might affect your fertility, you have options. Don't wait. Getting information about fertility preservation methods before you begin cancer treatment can help you make an informed choice.
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- Patient's fact sheet: Cancer and fertility preservation. American Society for Reproductive Medicine. http://www.asrm.org/uploadedFiles/ASRM_Content/Resources/Patient_Resources/Fact_Sheets_and_Info_Booklets/cancer.pdf. Accessed Nov. 24, 2010.
- Sonmezer M, et al. Preservation of fertility in patients undergoing cytotoxic therapy. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Dec. 15, 2010.
- Lee SJ, et al. American Society of Clinical Oncology recommendations on fertility preservation in cancer patients. Journal of Clinical Oncology. 2006;24:2917.
- Plante M. Fertility sparing surgery for invasive cervical cancer. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Dec. 15, 2010.
- Cardonick EH. Overview of fertility and pregnancy in cancer survivors. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Dec. 15, 2010.
- Kim SS. Fertility preservation in female cancer patients: Current developments and future directions. Fertility and Sterility. 2006;85:1.
- Rob L, et al. Advances in fertility-sparing surgery for cervical cancer. Expert Review of Anticancer Therapy. 2010;10:1101.
- Treating infertility. American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. http://www.acog.org/publications/patient_education/bp137.cfm. Accessed Dec. 30, 2010.
- Jensen JR, et al. Fertility preservation. Mayo Clinic Proceedings. 2011;86:45.
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