Setting up a fertility preservation programme

Area of Science:

• Reproductive Medicine
• Oncology
• Genetics

Background:

• Improved cancer survival rates allow young patients to consider long-term goals like parenthood.
• Cancer treatments, including chemotherapy and radiation, can cause infertility or premature gonadal insufficiency.
• There's a growing recognition of the need for fertility preservation (FP) discussions and options for at-risk individuals.

Purpose of the Study:

• To highlight the importance of fertility preservation (FP) for young people facing gonadotoxic therapies.
• To outline current FP options and the necessity of a multidisciplinary approach.
• To emphasize the rapid advancement and future potential of FP in reproductive medicine.

Main Methods:

• Review of current fertility preservation techniques, including cryopreservation of gametes and tissues.
• Discussion of ovarian protection strategies during chemotherapy.
• Emphasis on the multidisciplinary team approach for holistic FP services.

Main Results:

• Fertility preservation encompasses oocyte, embryo, ovarian tissue, semen, sperm, and testicular tissue cryopreservation.
• Ovarian protection during chemotherapy is an available strategy.
• A comprehensive FP service requires a multidisciplinary team and long-term follow-up.

Conclusions:

• Fertility preservation is essential for young individuals undergoing treatments that risk reproductive function.
• A coordinated, multidisciplinary approach ensures optimal fertility preservation outcomes.
• Advances in FP hold significant promise for the future of reproductive medicine.