Oncofertility helps patients preserve their fertility in the face of cancer

Many patients feel like their world stops when they receive a cancer diagnosis. Suddenly, their focus shifts to overcoming the disease and regaining their health. However, many of the same cancer treatments that can save lives may also damage fertility. However, there is hope with oncofertility, or fertility preservation for patients facing cancer, at our San Antonio fertility center.

Beginning the oncofertility process and finding hope

Cancer treatments are more effective than ever before, and they’re allowing many women and men to go on to live healthy and full lives. For many people, part of living a full life includes starting or growing their family. Oncofertility can keep this dream alive by preserving a patient’s fertility before they undergo cancer treatments.

Our San Antonio fertility center knows this is a stressful time for our patients, so our team works quickly with each patient and their oncology team to begin fertility preservation. In fact, we always do our best to expedite the process for patients with a cancer diagnosis, as we realize that time is of the essence.

A look at fertility preservation for women and men

Fertility preservation at our San Antonio fertility center looks different depending on whether the patient is a man or a woman.

• For men, oncofertility involves freezing sperm, which is a simple process. The man will provide one or more semen samples, typically collected no more often than every 48 hours. Our laboratory team will prepare his sample(s) and freeze the healthy sperm for him to use later.
• For women, the process involves freezing eggs or embryos. To freeze eggs, the woman will take medications to stimulate her ovaries to produce multiple eggs, Erika Munch MD will retrieve the eggs and our laboratory team will freeze them. The process is similar for freezing embryos, except our laboratory team will fertilize the eggs with sperm from the woman’s partner or from a sperm donor before freezing the resulting healthy embryos.

Dr. Munch recommends egg freezing for single women or women who are not certain they want to have children with their current partner. In contrast, embryo freezing is an excellent option for women who are in a committed relationship with someone they want to have children with. If you have questions about which option is right for you, Dr. Munch can help guide you.

Getting started with fertility preservation before cancer treatment

To get started with oncofertility, please call our San Antonio fertility center at (210) 370-3800 and let our team know that you will be starting cancer treatments. This information will help us expedite your treatment.

If you have other questions about fertility preservation, contact us. Dr. Munch and her team are here to help you take control of your fertility and future.