Fertility preservation

Fertility Preservation and Cancer

“Although the world is full of suffering, it is also full of overcoming it.”

“If the world is full of suffering, it is also full of examples of how to overcome it.”

(Helen Keller)

If you have just been diagnosed with cancer, it is essential to start cancer treatment as soon as possible and to put on hold your plans to expand or start a family.

During this difficult time, please remember that cancer and most cancer treatments reduce or impair your fertility potential.

Give us a call immediately!

Fertility preservation must be initiated before the first cycle of your oncological therapy. We will accept you as a priority patient, contact your treating oncologist, discuss your oncological treatment plan with him or her and create your individual fertility preservation plan.

Please note:

  • Nothing is more important than your life and your health – treating your condition must be your absolute priority.
  • Modern cancer treatments are generally very successful.
  • In most cases, we can help you maintain your fertility, before You start treatment or before the disease has severely affected your fertility. With fertility preservation techniques, you have a very good chance of fulfilling your desire for parenthood at a later date, when your treatment is complete and you are free of disease.

Fertility preservation before gender affirming care

If you have decided to make a medical transition, i.e. you are about to have your biological sex characteristics matched to your gender identity, but you want to preserve your germ cells (sperm or eggs) in order to be able to use them at a later date, you should contact us before any definitive gender reassignment treatments and procedures.

Procedure of your treatment

Initial consultation

We take the time to familiarize ourselves with your condition, establish direct contact with your treating oncologist or .dem the coordinator of your transition gender reassignment treatment), assess your ovarian reserve and present you with the available fertility preservation options.
An ultrasound scan is an essential part of your consultation.

Oocytes

There are several good options that we can offer you to preserve your fertility, as long as they do not conflict with your planned oncology treatment.

1. Egg freezing

Freezing your eggs is the most common method and very successful. The procedure is essentially the same as that of an ordinary IVF treatment, with the difference that the retrieved eggs are not fertilized, but are quickly frozen and cryopreserved using a special method (vitrification, “ultra-rapid freezing”).

2. Freezing embryos at the blastocyst stage

If you are in a committed relationship and have already planned or are planning to expand your family, it is possible to retrieve your eggs, fertilize them with your partner’s sperm and then freeze the blastocysts (advanced embryos) obtained in the process. This technique encompasses a complete round of classic IVF treatment and represents the most successful way to fulfill one’s desire for parenthood.
Please keep in mind that in the case of frozen embryos, you and your partner will have to make a very thoughtful decision in this case. If you choose this technique, you should be aware that the embryos are the property of both partners. Transferring these embryos to your uterus at a later date is only possible if both partners agree to it, i.e. if you stay with your current partner until that time. Since an oncological diagnosis is known to be a major burden on the relationship, we always recommend vitrifying at least some of the retrieved eggs unfertilized. In this way, in any case, you will always have at least some of your eggs that you can use at a later date with the partner of your choice.

3. Extraction and cryopreservation of ovarian tissue

You also have the option of removing part of your ovary as part of a laparoscopy to freeze the ovarian tissue and later implant it back into your body during a second laparoscopy. We educate our patients about this technique, but we do not perform it. We also advise against it if your primary goal is to become a parent one day. The reasons for our firm stance on this matter are simple: this technique is much more invasive, and the success rate is much lower compared to egg or embryo freezing.

Treatment with sperm

1.Sperm freezing

If the number and quality of your sperm allows it, we simply freeze some samples of your sperm. Later, when the treatment is complete and you have decided to start a family, the frozen samples can be thawed and used either for intrauterine insemination or for IVF/ICSI procedures for your partner.

2.Freezing of testicular tissue

If we do not find sperm cells in your ejaculate and your primary (oncological) diagnosis allows it, we can perform a testicular biopsy. If we find sperm cells in the biopsied sample, we freeze the testicular tissue so that it can be used for an ICSI procedure at a later date.

Kinderwunschklinik-Graz-Kinderwunsch-baby

Take the first step today!

We are happy to answer your questions! Schedule an initial consultation or sign up for our free information evening and learn more about the next step on your parenthood journey.