What Is Oncofertility?
Oncofertility is a specialized area of care that focuses on preserving fertility for individuals who are about to undergo cancer treatment. Treatments such as chemotherapy, radiation, and certain surgeries can impact the ovaries, testes, or reproductive hormones, potentially affecting future fertility.
Oncofertility combines reproductive medicine and oncology to help patients understand how treatment may affect their ability to have children in the future and what steps can be taken beforehand to preserve that possibility. This approach allows patients to focus on their treatment, knowing they have considered all their options for future family building.
Egg Cryopreservation (Egg Freezing)
Individuals diagnosed with cancer have the option to preserve their eggs before starting treatment through a process called vitrification. This technique involves rapidly freezing eggs for future procedures, such as in vitro fertilization (IVF).
- Who it’s for: Individuals with ovaries who wish to preserve their fertility without using sperm.
- Timing: The process requires a short period of ovarian stimulation before egg retrieval.
- Other considerations: This procedure can usually be completed within 2 to 3 weeks.
Embryo Cryopreservation
Embryo cryopreservation is the process of collecting a person's eggs and combining them with sperm from a partner or donor in a laboratory to create embryos. These embryos are then safely frozen and stored until the patient is in remission and ready to conceive.
- Who it’s for: Individuals or couples who wish to create embryos using eggs and sperm.
- Timing: The process follows a timeline similar to egg freezing, with fertilization occurring before freezing. '
- Other considerations: Embryo cryopreservation is a well-established option that can often be completed before treatment begins.
