The diagnosis of cancer can be given at any age. Cancer in a reproductive aged male or female can be particularly traumatic. Each year, more than 140,000 people are diagnosed with cancer during their childbearing years. While modern medicine gives young adults a better chance at surviving cancer and other serious diseases than ever before, treatments such as chemotherapy, radiation and surgery bring up many reproductive questions:
In addition, fertility preservation is not limited to oncology patients who will face chemotherapy, radiation, or surgical treatment. Patients requiring bone marrow, stem cell transplants, and even some with rheumatic diseases may face the decision of fertility sparing options.
Fortunately, there are steps patients can take in order to help safeguard their fertility. These include sperm banking for men and adolescent boys and eggs and embryo banking for women before undergoing cancer treatment.
At Elite IVF SOlutions, we offer counseling, treatment, and support to discuss:
Before starting cancer treatment(s), it is important to discuss any concerns regarding your future fertility with your physician. An open discussion will help you plan your cancer treatment and assure a prompt referral to the reproductive fertility specialist soon after your diagnosis to explore your fertility sparing options.
The focus of each of these fertility sparing treatments is to store sperm, eggs or embryos before you undergo treatment for cancer. Once the cancer treatment is completed and you are healthy enough then the stored sperm, eggs or embryos are available for use.
Sperm banking (sperm freezing) is done before medical treatment begins. Semen samples are typically produced through masturbation in a private collection room. For males who have no sperm in their ejaculate—due either to an obstruction or testicular dysfunction—there is the option of undergoing Surgical Sperm Retrieval. Once collected, the sperm is assessed, processed, cryopreserved (frozen) and stored at our laboratory for future use by IUI or IVF.
Embryo banking (embryo freezing) involves harvesting a woman’s egg(s) and inseminating the eggs with sperm in the laboratory to produce an embryo for future use through IVF. This process takes about two weeks to complete. The resulting embryos are cryopreserved (frozen) and stored until you are in complete remission and healthy enough to become pregnant. Collaboration with your oncology physician is critical.
Oocyte (Egg) banking is one of the newest innovations in field of assisted reproduction and has resulted in the birth of more than 10,000 babies worldwide. Similar to embryo banking, egg banking also takes about two weeks to complete. The resulting eggs are cryopreserved through a process called vitrification and stored until you are healthy enough to become pregnant. This new technology potentially allows women to bank eggs without a significant other and alleviates issues of immediately identifying a sperm source. Again, collaboration with the treating physician is critical.
Often, patients have concerns that treatment must be done immediately and that costs can be prohibitive for such care. We will accommodate your scheduling needs and work closely with your surgical oncologist (cancer) physician to expedite your care.
Our financial counselors are available to assist you in determining if insurance coverage is available and estimate costs for services if not covered by insurance. In addition, ELite IVF Solutions has partnered with the Fertile Hope to provide educational, moral and financial support to patients. This program allows Elite IVF Solutions to provide discounted services and donated medications for those who qualify.