Fertility Preservation
Fertility preservation is the process of saving or preserving eggs, sperm or reproductive tissue to enable the person to use them to have biological children in future.
Who can opt for fertility preservation
People with certain disorders, diseases and life events that may affect fertility can opt for fertility preservation. People who are exposed to toxic chemicals or women who have endometriosis, uterine fibroids, people who are about to be treated for cancer, or other autoimmune disease and couples who delay in having children can choose fertility preservation.
Fertility-preserving options for males
- Sperm cryopreservation: In this process, a male provides samples of his semen. The semen is then frozen and stored for future use in a process called cryopreservation.
- Gonadal shielding: Radiation treatment for cancer and other conditions can harm fertility, especially if it is used in the pelvic area. Some radiation treatments use modern techniques to aim the rays on a very small area. The testicles can also be protected with a lead shield.
Fertility-preserving options for females
- Embryo cryopreservation: This method, also called embryo freezing, is the most common and successful option for preserving a female’s fertility. First, a health care provider removes eggs from the ovaries. The eggs are then fertilized with sperm from her partner or a donor in a lab in a process called in vitro fertilization. The resulting embryos are frozen and stored for future use.
- Oocyte cryopreservation: This option is similar to embryo cryopreservation, except that unfertilized eggs are frozen and stored.
- Gonadal shielding: This process is similar to gonadal shielding for males. Steps are taken, such as aiming rays at a small area or covering the pelvic area with a lead shield, to protect the ovaries from radiation.
- Ovarian transposition: A health care provider performs a minor surgery to move the ovaries and sometimes the fallopian tubes from the area that will receive radiation to an area that will not receive radiation.
