Having cancer and/or treatment of cancer can sometimes affect a woman’s ability to get pregnant or carry a healthy pregnancy. Different types of cancer and cancer treatments can have different effects on a woman’s fertility including:
- The patient’s age and stage of development; for example, before or after puberty, necessity for immediate treatment, etc.
- The type, location and extent of surgery- removal of reproductive organs or surgery on areas near reproductive organs
- The type of treatment given (radiation therapy, chemotherapy, hormone therapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy, stem cell transplant, etc.)
- The dose of treatment
If you are planning on seeking cancer treatment, we advise you to open a dialogue about your fertility and future family building plans with your doctor prior to receiving treatment, if possible. There may be options available to you to preserve your fertility by oocyte vitrification (egg freezing) or other fertility preservation options that we can assist with.
If you’ve already received cancer treatment and are ready to begin building your family, please contact us to set up a consultation to discuss your next steps.