Therefore, men and women of childbearing age, who want to have children, may want to consider fertility preservation. There are different options for fertility preservation such as oocyte freezing or sperm banking. In most cases, fertility preservation should occur before beginning treatment.

Fertility in Women

Women are born with a set number of eggs in their ovaries which is called ovarian reserve. The reserve naturally lowers as you age. For instance, teens and young adults have a larger ovarian reserve than older women. There are certain types of cancer treatments that may further lower the ovarian reserve.

Having fewer eggs may make it harder to become pregnant. It may also lead to early menopause, meaning there are no eggs left. As well, women’s menstrual periods can be affected during treatments causing them to stop temporarily. While some women experience a return in their menstrual periods others might not, which results in early menopause. Even if menstruation returns, it is not proof that you are still fertile. Your doctor will refer you to a specialist if you want to pursue fertility preservation.

Types of Fertility Preservation for Women

• Embryo freezing, also called in vitro fertilization or IVF, is the most successful method of fertility preservation. A woman takes fertility drugs for about two weeks, and then her eggs are collected and fertilized by sperm in a laboratory. The embryos which develop are frozen until they are ready to be used.
• Oocyte freezing is similar to embryo freezing but the eggs are frozen without being fertilized by sperm. This is an option for women without a male partner, but it is slightly less successful than embryo freezing.
• Fertility-preserving surgery may be an option for some women with cervical or ovarian cancer.
• Ovarian protection during radiation therapy, which means radiation is delivered to just one ovary, rather than to both ovaries. This may preserve fertility in the other ovary.
• Ovarian suppression involves taking hormones that suppress ovarian function, which may protect the eggs from the cancer treatment. This approach is not as common and its effectiveness has not been scientifically proven.
• Ovarian tissue preservation involves surgically removing and freezing ovarian tissue, which can be transplanted following treatment. This may be an option for young girls who cannot undergo oocyte or embryo freezing. However, its effectiveness is still being evaluated by researchers.

Fertility in Men

Male infertility is the inability to produce healthy sperm or to ejaculate sperm. Although sperm production usually recovers after cancer treatment, it is important to talk with your doctor about infertility risks before you start treatment.

Types of Fertility Preservation for Men

• Sperm banking involves freezing a man’s semen. It is best to freeze semen prior to beginning treatment. There is a high risk of genetic damage in the sperm from treatment. Later, following treatment, the sperm can be used for intrauterine insemination or in vitro fertilization (IVF).
• Testicular-tissue freezing involves removing, freezing, and storing testicular tissue. This tissue contains stem cells that may later become sperm. Researchers are still studying this procedure.

A few things to think about when considering fertility preservation:

• Health insurance may not cover the cost of fertility-preserving procedures
• Effectiveness varies
• The decision may add extra stress to an already stressful time. You may worry about the impact on your relationship or even have lower self-esteem. However, there are specialists that can help you work through these decisions.

Fertility Care

• Tulsa Fertility Center | 115 E 15th Street in Tulsa, OK. Phone: 918-359-2229
• www.tulsafertilitycenter.com
• University of Kansas Medical Center | 3901 Rainbow Blvd in Kansas City, KS. Phone: 913-588-5000. www.kumc.edu
• Washington University Infertility and Reproductive Medicine Center at Barnes Jewish Hospital 4444 Forest Park Ave Suite 3100 in St Louis, MO. Phone: 314-286-2400.
• fertility.wustl.edu/