Are you facing a recent cancer diagnosis?

Learning that you may need to undergo chemotherapy or radiation treatment is daunting for anyone, and most cancer patients are understandably 100% focused on their recovery from the time they grasp the diagnosis. However, many patients and doctors, even in modern medicine, skip over an important issue before diving into treatment: What about future fertility? Can fertility be preserved post-treatment?

How cancer affects fertility

Cancer treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation can actually impair a person’s fertility, regardless of gender – both women and men can have their fertility affected due to life-saving cancer treatments. As there can be a rush toward starting treatment, the question of whether actions should be undertaken to preserve fertility can be skipped over – only for the patient to find out months or years later that they may not be able to conceive without fertility services or third-party reproduction (egg donor, sperm donor, or gestational surrogate).

How cancer patients can help preserve their fertility

For women, if you are recently diagnosed with cancer and hope to build your family in the future when you’re ready, Fertility Solutions suggests egg freezing. Also known as oocyte cryopreservation or fertility preservation, egg freezing is an ideal option for a woman whose fertility may be negatively affected by cancer treatment and who would like the option of having a child of her own in the future, using her own eggs. Egg quality and quantity are the most important factors in determining female fertility, and through egg freezing, you can help ensure that regardless of what happens during chemotherapy or radiation, you will have options.

We realize that facing a recent cancer diagnosis is an overwhelming experience. Even though fertility preservation through egg freezing may seem like just another thing to think about, we want women to be aware of opportunities they can take advantage of if they wish. We encourage you to learn more about egg freezing, including the cost of egg freezing, and to contact Fertility Solutions with any questions you may have about the process. We are happy to consult with cancer patients in order to help determine if fertility preservation is right for their individual situation.