Legal issues related to parenthood after cancer

Cancer and procreation raise a host of novel legal issues involving the rights of those trying to create families after cancer treatment and any resulting children, as well as the responsibilities of those who assist them. Recent court decisions, although neither consistent nor plentiful, highlight the emerging legal issues for patients, providers, and offspring. This article explores a number of legal issues related to cancer and parenthood, including: 1) patients' cryopreservation of sperm, eggs, or embryos and subsequent access to and use by them or their former partners; 2) fertility preservation in minor patients; 3) posthumous reproduction and legal parentage issues for children born from cryopreserved embryos or gametes; 4) wrongful life or wrongful birth claims of children born following their parents' cancer treatments; 5) access to, and discrimination in, medical treatment or alternative family-building options; and 6) professional responsibility and liability for providers relating to the potential fertility impact of cancer treatment. The limited, evolving court decisions, through the application of legal principles such as negligence, malpractice, discrimination, and parentage principles, provide some guidance for patients, providers, and policymakers in approaching the unique challenges presented by fertility preservation in the context of cancer treatments.