Oncofertility: Safeguarding Hope for the Future
Cancer is a challenging diagnosis, particularly if you want to become a parent. When a cancer patient is about to start treatment, fertility preservation is not usually a primary concern, but a chemotherapy or radiation regimen can damage sperm and eggs to varying degrees, possibly affecting future fertility.
After cancer treatment, one marker of decreased fertility for some women is the loss of menstrual cycles or premature menopause. Others may have “diminished ovarian reserve,” which means the ovaries were damaged by treatment, but some ovarian functions remain. Patients with “diminished ovarian reserve” may have difficulty conceiving, whether on their own or with Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART). However, freezing eggs before undergoing cancer treatment can help increase your chances of having viable eggs available after treatment.
For men, either the cancer itself or the cancer treatments may cause infertility. Specific cancers that can damage the testis include testicular cancer and Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. In either case, freezing sperm can help keep your family-building options open.
Oncofertility at IVFMD
IVFMD understands the sensitive circumstances that come with a cancer diagnosis, therefore providing the following services for cancer patients:
- We provide short-notice, high-priority appointments – typically within 48 hours of your request.
- Our reproductive endocrinology physicians and fertility specialists work with your oncologist in a time-sensitive manner to find your best course of treatment.
- Several treatment options may be available to you, depending on the type of cancer and course of treatment you’ve been prescribed. Financial assistance may also be available, and we offer extremely affordable pricing through the LIVESTRONG Foundation for our patients who undergo fertility preservation as a result of a cancer diagnosis.
LIVESTRONG Fertility
Because of the aggressive nature of cancer treatments and the disease itself, it is important to understand the fertility preservation options available to you as quickly as possible.
IVFMD has partnered with LIVESTRONG Fertility, a program that:
- Educates newly diagnosed cancer patients on how cancer can impact fertility.
- Provides cancer patients seeking fertility counseling and treatments with support and relevant resources.
- Helps those with cancer access discounted rates on fertility preservation services.
LIVESTRONG provides the following online resources for cancer patients considering fertility treatments:
To determine if you are eligible to apply, please review the eligibility requirements on LIVESTRONG’s website and apply online.
We strive to maintain the information on this page accurate and up-to-date; however, information on this page is subject to change without notice. Please visit LIVESTRONG.org for the latest.
