[Fertility in women after cancer therapy]

In children and young women, antimitotic chemotherapy and radiotherapy can provoke premature ovarian failure, as well as chromosomal or genic mutations potentially responsible of pregnancy wastage, congenital malformations or genetic diseases in the progeny. After an abdominal radiotherapy, the long term sequelae of uterine irradiation can induce pregnancy wastage, prematurity or low birth-weight. Irreversible ovarian damages are mainly due to alkylating agents and abdominal radiotherapy. The gradual depletion of the follicular pool accounts for the apparent increasing ovarian sensitivity: in women over 40, almost any therapy can be responsible of an immediate menopause, while in younger patients retaining a normal ovarian function at the end of a treatment including alkylating agents or an abdominal radiotherapy, a premature ovarian failure will occur several years later.