Fertility Preservation

Fertility Preservation Options For Women

The options for women may include:

Embryo freezing: involves the collection of mature eggs and fertilization with sperm in the laboratory. The resulting fertilized embryos are frozen and preserved until the woman is ready to become pregnant.
Oocyte freezing: involves the collection of mature eggs and freezing them (without fertilization with sperm).
In case of early-stage cervical cancer and ovarian cancer, fertility-preserving surgery is performed to remove the cervix and affected ovary, respectively, keeping the uterus intact.
This will help the woman to get pregnant and deliver the baby by caesarean section.
Oophoropexy: Involves surgically moving the ovaries away from the path of radiation and bringing them back to their original position after treatment, with an intention of protecting the ovaries from radiation therapy.
In girls who have not yet entered puberty, ovarian tissue preservation is performed, which involves the surgical removal of ovarian tissue and preserving it by freezing. The tissue may be transplanted back into the girl after the cancer treatment.

Fertility-preserving procedures may vary for each individual and each condition. You can discuss with Dr Alexander in detail before you decide.

Cancer-Related Issues For Women

The treatment of cancer may pose temporary or permanent fertility problems in both men and women. The effects may be immediate or show up much later in life.

Various factors, such as the type of cancer, treatment and age, determine your chances of infertility following treatment.

Any cancer therapy would involve one or more of the three general techniques –