October is the perfect time to discuss fertility preservation for breast cancer
During Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Erika Munch MD works especially hard to share information about fertility preservation for breast cancer. Life-saving cancer treatments can permanently damage male and female fertility. As a result, it’s important to be proactive about preserving fertility before starting treatments like chemotherapy and radiation.
Read on to learn how our San Antonio fertility doctor can help you preserve eggs, sperm or embryos for future pregnancy attempts.
Exploring the different types of fertility preservation for breast cancer
Our San Antonio fertility doctor offers the latest fertility preservation techniques to help patients put parenthood on hold for personal or medical reasons. When it comes to fertility preservation for breast cancer, Dr. Munch will work with you to determine which option is best for your unique needs.
Egg freezing is a great option if you’re single or haven’t found a partner who you would like to have children with. You’ll take fertility medications to stimulate egg production and then undergo an outpatient egg retrieval procedure. After that, an embryologist will freeze and store your eggs.
When you’re ready to conceive using these eggs, an embryologist will thaw them and fertilize them with sperm from your partner or a donor.
Embryo freezing is perfect if you’re married or in a serious relationship with someone who you’d like to have children with. You’ll take fertility medications and have an egg retrieval. Instead of freezing your eggs, an embryologist will fertilize them with sperm from your partner. Then, the embryologist will freeze and store the resulting embryos.
Conceiving using frozen embryos is relatively simple. An embryologist will thaw the embryos. Then, Dr. Munch will transfer one to your uterus during a simple outpatient procedure.
Sperm freezing is an option for fertility preservation for breast cancer, because some men can get this type of cancer. The process to freeze sperm is simple. You’ll provide a semen sample through masturbation. An andrologist will then freeze and store the sperm.
To use the sperm in the future, an andrologist will thaw it for use in an artificial insemination (IUI) or in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycle.
Find hope during Breast Cancer Awareness Month
Our San Antonio fertility doctor wants you to know that fighting and beating cancer doesn’t have to put an end to your dream of parenthood. By pursuing advanced and highly effective fertility preservation options, you can still have the family of your dreams.
Contact us if you’d like to get started with fertility preservation for breast cancer. Just let us know about your cancer diagnosis so that we can expedite your treatment with us.