September is observed as Gynecologic Cancer Awareness Month.
But can these cancers affect a women’s fertility too? Lets read about it more in detail.
Women suffering from gynecologic cancer, are concerned about their reproduction problems. These cancers can be present before or after the fertility happens, during pregnancy, or can even rise post-pregnancy.
Gynecologic Cancer consists of
- Ovarian Cancer
- Cervical Cancer
- Vaginal Cancer
- Vulvar Cancer
- Uterine/Endometrial Cancer
Women may get affected by any of the above cancer.
How Cancer and Cancer Treatment Can Affect Fertility in Females:
Let\’s talk about the ways, a woman can preserve her fertility before starting her cancer treatment. Ideally, you should consult and discuss your options with a cancer specialist or an IVF Specialist.
Ask them the duration you’ll have to consider your options, understand the risks associated with each fertility option and cancer treatment option. Don’t assume that a cancer doctor will ask about your fertility concern.
Options for preserving fertility in women: There are a few options your fertility doctor would suggest you, before going under the cancer treatment.
Egg or embryo freezing (cryopreservation)
- It is a process of collecting, developing, and freezing the eggs or embryos as a part of the in-vitro fertilization (IVF) cycle.
- These can be stored for a good amount of years.
- Check with the IVF clinic for the duration and cost of freezing the embryo and eggs.
- Once you are ready to conceive, the embryo and eggs are sent to your IVF specialist.
- By the time your cancer specialist will plan your treatment course and give you time to proceed with IVF.
Ovarian tissue freezing (cryopreservation)
- It is a process of removing, slicing, and freezing small pieces of tissues from an ovary for later use.
- It is done when the time is less before treatment, if hormone stimulation is uncertain, or if the patient has gone to puberty.
- There are risk factors too while performing this, as storing tissues before cancer treatment will contain cancer cells. Discuss with your doctor about the risk factors.
There are other options also available which you can discuss with your IVF doctor and Cancer doctor, or visit Dr. Nilesh Balkawade IVF clinic in wakad.