Fertility and Cancer Treatment

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Fertility and Cancer Treatment

Cancer treatment can impact your fertility (ability to have a baby). You may not want to have children now, but you may want them later. Fertility preservation gives you the option of having your own children later on.

It is best to take action to preserve your fertility before receiving any type of cancer treatment. Sometimes cancer treatment can wait so that fertility preservation can happen first. There are some circumstances when it may not be safe to wait to start cancer treatment. Your health care team and the AYA Program can help you decide on the safest option for you.

What is Fertility Preservation?

For people who have ovaries, fertility preservation can mean:

freezing egg(s). Your eggs are saved so you can increase your chances of having your own biological baby in the future.
freezing embryo(s). Your egg is fertilized with sperm from a partner or a donor through in vitro fertilization. The fertilized egg forms an embryo (the first stage of a baby’s growth) before freezing.

The more eggs or embryos you freeze, the higher your rate of success at getting pregnant.

For people who produce sperm, fertility preservation means storing sperm that has not been exposed to cancer treatment in a sperm bank. You may decide to freeze more than one sample.

Egg Preservation - An Option for People Who Have Ovaries and Are at Risk for Sub-Fertility

Find more information about the fertility preservation process:

Government-funded fertility services are available to eligible patients. Learn more about the Ontario Fertility Program:

Ontario Fertility Program [PDF, opens in new window]

Programs & Services

Mount Sinai Fertility

Cancer Knowledge Network - Oncofertility Referral Network

Fertile Future - Fertility Preservation Resources

https://www.uhn.ca/PrincessMargaret/Health_Professionals/Patient_Referral/Pages/dr_referral_psychosocial_oncology.aspx

https://www.uhn.ca/PrincessMargaret/Education/Continuing_Education_Programs/Pages/continuing_education_programs.aspx

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Last reviewed: 6/20/2022

Last modified: 6/21/2022 6:48 AM

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