Ethical Barriers in Adolescent Oncofertility Counseling

Adult survivors of pediatric cancers are at substantial risk for infertility. Oncofertility is an emerging field in medicine that has focused on the fertility preservation of these patients. As the field continues to develop, there are several areas in which our practice has improved. However, several ethical concerns still exist involving beneficence, nonmaleficence, informed consent, adolescent assent, and posthumous use of reproductive tissues. Because the field is still developing, great disparities exist in available options depending on age, ability to pay, and geographic location. Such discrepancies in access may lead to health disparities in the adolescent patient population. As the science continues to make future fertility more feasible, the ethical questions will continue to be more complex. The purpose of this article is to review some of the developments regarding oncoferility and address future directions for research and inquiry in specific areas.