Fertility Preservation

A look at the treatments that can impact your fertility and your options to preserve it.

Amanda Rice was 37 when she was diagnosed with breast cancer for the first time. She describes her decision to freeze her eggs after her diagnosis, which led her to launch the nonprofit organization The Chick Mission to educate women on the impact of cancer treatment on becoming mothers.

Find out what is involved in fertility preservation, and why young adults with cancer may need to consider it before beginning their cancer treatment.

Megan Solinger, MHS, MA, OPN-CG, talks about the hard lessons she’s learned as a patient navigator and the amazing results of her first experience as a fertility preservation navigator.

Rosaria Usini was 23 years old, had just finished college, and was beginning her teaching career when she heard the words she dreaded most, “The cancer is back.” 

Many young adults with cancer don’t ask questions about their ability to have children after cancer treatment, despite wanting to have biological children. Not asking the right questions about fertility preservation before starting chemotherapy, radiation, or other treatments for cancer can lead to fertility problems and even infertility later on.

For patients with cancer, risk factors for infertility include the patient’s fertility levels before treatment, type of cancer treatment, and age.