Fertility Preservation for Cancer Patients

A cancer diagnosis and the treatment that follows can upend your life in many ways. Between scheduling appointments, planning for the emotional and physical side effects, and dealing with what may be the fight of your life, can literally drain you. Still, there is life after cancer and we’re here to help you plan for it.

Chemotherapy and radiation are often the necessary route in the fight against cancer, and both treatment methods are known to diminish a woman’s ovarian reserve and damage a man’s sperm–greatly impairing fertility. But take heart. There are ways you can preserve fertility and protect your ability to become a parent in the future.

Why Ovarian Reserve Matters

First, let’s look at just the importance of your ovarian reserve.

Unlike sperm, which regenerates every few months, women’s eggs are limited to those within their ovaries. Women are born with one to two million eggs–the most eggs they’ll ever have. At puberty, that number drops to 300-500k, but because many eggs die off before being ovulated, a woman in her reproductive years only ovulates between 300-500 eggs, with egg quantity (ovarian reserve) really starting to diminish at around age 35. 

For women and men undergoing cancer treatment and concerned about future fertility, it’s very important to discuss with your oncologist how treatment might affect your reproductive system, including ovarian reserve and sperm viability. That way, you can also discuss preservation options with your fertility specialist.

How Cancer Treatment Affects Female Fertility

For the most part, deciding how to preserve your fertility depends on where you are in life. For instance, if you’re in a committed relationship and you and your partner plan to have children, or if you’ve decided to pursue parenthood on your own, you may consider freezing your embryos. If you aren’t yet in that place, you may instead decide you want to freeze your eggs.

Sometimes more aggressive chemotherapy treatments can damage the ovaries and cause early menopause. Radiation may also trigger menopause, but this isn’t always permanent.

Fertility after cancer treatment for females is affected by age and ovarian reserve at the time of treatment. Some cancer treatments may include a hysterectomy and, if that’s the case, it’s even more important to preserve your fertility through egg or embryo freezing. You may also consider a surrogate if you’ve had your ovaries removed but kept your uterus. Of course, each case is unique and you and your doctor can discuss the best way to proceed.

Fertility Preservation for Female Cancer Patients

If having a biological child is a priority, ensuring your future fertility should be first and foremost before you begin your treatment. Below are additional details about the different types of fertility preservation for female cancer patients.

Embryo Cryopreservation

In order to freeze your embryos, you need to go through the same basic process as IVF. Your doctor will determine the best way to stimulate your ovaries in order to harvest the most eggs, and then you’ll be monitored to determine the best time to retrieve your eggs.

An outpatient procedure performed under sedation, egg retrieval involves removing the eggs via a very slim, needle-like catheter inserted into your vagina and through your cervix. Afterwards, you may experience some mild cramping and possibly some spotting.

An embryologist fertilizes the eggs using either your partner’s sperm or donor sperm. The lab monitors embryo development, performs genetic testing if requested and then the embryos are frozen. According to a recent study published by the NIH, embryo transfer using frozen embryos has a high rate of success.

Egg Freezing (Oocyte Cryopreservation)

This process is the same as embryo cryopreservation except the eggs aren’t fertilized. Instead, after retrieval, the eggs are preserved for future fertilization and implantation via IVF.

The freezing process (cryopreservation) uses flash freezing with liquid nitrogen to preserve both embryos and eggs. The flash freezing prevents ice crystals from forming that could harm the eggs or embryos.

Radiation Shielding

Some cancer patients decide to use a lead shield to protect the ovaries. The success of this method depends on the treatment, and isn’t typically the first line for fertility preservation.

Fertility Preservation for Male Cancer Patients

• Men who are about to undergo cancer treatment for cancer and have fertility concerns also have options.

• Sperm cryopreservation is a successful method for preserving male fertility in cancer patients according to a publication by the NIH. Sperm is collected, flash frozen and stored for thawing and fertilization at a later date.

Radiation shielding of the testicles prevents radiation treatment from interfering with sperm production.

Fertility Preservation Cost

We recognize that cost can oftentimes be the final barrier between patients and their treatment. Reproductive Health and Wellness Center offers financing options to help with the cost of egg freezing or IVF treatments. These payment solutions include friendly monthly payment plans with 0% interest rates.

Depend On RHWC for Your Future Fertility

At Reproductive Health and Wellness, you can be assured your fertility preservation will be handled in a timely manner. We’ll work with you and your oncologist to ensure the right process for you and your future plans. Please contact us today so we can help you make those future plans.