Oncofertility
Fertility Preservation and Reproduction in Cancer Patients
Oncofertility: Planning for Your Future Family
The ability to have children and build a family is important to cancer survivors, and while not all forms of cancer treatment will lead to infertility, many do. As Southern California’s only Oncofertility program, HRC Fertility aims to explore and preserve the reproductive future of patients facing fertility-threatening cancer treatments. The HRC Fertility Oncofertility program provides timely access and comprehensive fertility treatment for would be patients with care, empathy and expertise.
After cancer therapy, survivors who desire to have children may wish to have a consultation with a reproductive endocrinologist to assess their fertility potential. Research on the safety of pregnancy for the cancer survivor and their subsequent children is very reassuring.
According to RESOLVE, the National Infertility Association: 9% of all cancer patients are diagnosed in their reproductive years, the majority of which are at risk for iatrogenic (or medically-induced) infertility from their treatment. Iatrogenic infertility may also affect people undergoing treatment for sickle cell anemia, lupus, and other autoimmune diseases.
Options are available for both cancer patients beginning treatment and for those who have already started or completed treatment. For cancer patients with urgent needs, please call our Oncofertility hotline at:
1-800-488-1081
You will be offered an in-person or phone consultation with one of our Oncofertility physician experts within 24 hours of calling the hotline.
EMBRYO BANKING
Embryo banking is the freezing of one or more embryos until you are ready to attempt pregnancy. This is the most established form of fertility preservation, and is an excellent option for women who have a male partner or are interested in using donor sperm. The process takes approximately 10-12 days and usually requires hormone stimulation to mature several eggs at one time. Mature eggs are fertilized in vitro (outside the body) and then frozen for future use.
EGG BANKING
Egg banking is the freezing of one or more eggs until you are ready to attempt pregnancy. This process takes approximately 10-12 days and again usually requires hormone stimulation to mature several eggs at one time. Significant advances in freezing eggs for future use have occurred in recent years.
FERTILITY SPARING SURGERY
For patients who will receive abdominal or pelvic irradiation, it may be possible to perform a surgery in which the ovaries are moved out of the radiation field. For patients with early stage gynecologic cancers, it may be possible to conserve reproductive organs at the time of cancer surgery.
Additional Oncofertility Options:
Preimplantation genetic screening, ovarian suppression, ovarian shielding, psychological and financial counseling are all additional options discussed at a fertility preservation consultation.
For cancer patients with urgent needs, please call our hotline 24/7, at: 1-800-488-1081.
You will be offered an in-person or phone consultation with one of our Oncofertility physician experts within 24 hours of calling the hotline.
FERTILITY TREATMENT & ASSISTED REPRODUCTION
For women and men who are sub-fertile after cancer treatment, assisted reproductive technologies may be appropriate to help cancer survivors achieve pregnancy.
EGG DONATION
Egg donation for cancer survivors who become menopausal after cancer treatment is a highly effective option for achieving a pregnancy
FERTILITY SPARING SURGERY
Gestational surrogacy may be an option for some women who are unable to carry a pregnancy after cancer therapy.
For cancer patients with urgent needs, please call our hotline 24/7, at: 1-800-488-1081.
You will be offered an in-person or phone consultation with one of our Oncofertility physician experts within 24 hours of calling the hotline.