Cancer Fertility Preservation
Cancer Fertility Preservation at
Birla Fertility & IVF
Treatments for cancer including chemotherapy, radiation therapy and surgical interventions as well as certain cancers are known to directly impact fertility by harming ovarian, testicular, and uterine function. Fortunately, advancements in the field of fertility medicine and assisted reproductive technology now allows us to effectively preserve fertility in men and women through their treatments.
At Birla Fertility & IVF, we offer a complete range of fertility preservation procedures. Our team works in close partnership with the primary cancer care team to develop the most suitable treatment plan while avoiding any potential delays to the planned cancer treatment.
Cancer Fertility Preservation Process
Egg Freezing
Unfertilised eggs are collected after a cycle of ovarian stimulation and frozen in liquid nitrogen at a temperature below -190°C. This procedure is suitable for young women or women without a partner.
Embryo Freezing
Embryos are formed after a cycle of In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) and frozen in liquid nitrogen at a temperature below -190°C. This procedure is recommended for couples if either partner has to undergo cancer treatments.
Ovarian Cortex Freezing
Ovarian tissue is harvested through a minimally invasive procedure and frozen. After the patient’s recovery, the frozen tissue is thawed and reimplanted into the pelvis to restore ovarian function. It is recommended for girls who have not yet started ovulating, for women who cannot delay their cancer treatment and for women who cannot undergo hormonal treatments.
Sperm Freezing
Before starting chemotherapy or radiation therapy, semen containing sperm is collected from the patient and frozen in liquid nitrogen. The frozen sample can be thawed and used in IUI, IVF or IVF-ICSI when the patient is ready to start a family.
Testicular Tissue Freezing
Testicular tissue freezing is an experimental procedure that involves harvesting testicular tissue which contain stem cells that can start sperm production (spermatogenesis). It is suitable for pre-pubescent cancer patients who have not yet started producing sperm and for patients when sperm freezing is not viable.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is fertility preservation recommended before starting cancer treatments?
Cancer treatments including chemotherapy and radiation therapy as well as certain cancers itself are known to have a severe impact on ovarian function as well as sperm function. Fertility preservation procedures can help the patient use assisted reproductive technology to protect their ability to have children in such situations.
What are the different types of Cancer Fertility Preservation techniques?
Egg freezing, embryo freezing, ovarian cortex freezing, sperm freezing, single sperm cell vitrification and testicular tissue freezing are currently being used for cancer patients based on suitability of the procedure.
What type of fertility preservation procedures are available for paediatric cancer patients?
Ovarian cortex freezing and testicular tissue freezing are offered for prepubescent cancer patients. These procedures are experimental however, they have shown promise.
How do fertility preservation procedures work?
These procedures use liquid nitrogen to rapidly freeze the samples (egg, embryo, sperm, testicular tissue or ovarian cortex tissue). The frozen samples are then stored in special vials and stored in liquid nitrogen in a state of suspended animation till they need to be used in fertility treatments.
Patient Testimonials
The doctors and support staff are very nice and polite. They always made us comfortable and feel positive, felt it true when they said All Heart. All Science. Even during COVID, I could undergo my IVF treatments with almost no fear as they took a lot of steps to keep us safe. Dr Prachi is very sweet and helpful.
We decided to go for only one embryo implantation and freeze the remaining two. We came to BFI for our next attempt at pregnancy. Really liked the facility, it is quite comfortable and clean. The process was also very smooth. We hardly had to wait, and the doctors and staff were very friendly and supportive. Very happy with the care.
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