Fertility Preservation Before Cancer Treatment

Time-sensitive educational overview. Cancer treatment must remain directed by the oncology team. Fertility-preservation planning should be coordinated promptly and must not create unsafe delay.

Why referral should happen early

Chemotherapy, radiation, surgery, and some other systemic treatments can affect future reproductive potential. The degree of risk depends on the treatment, dose, location, age, baseline fertility, and diagnosis. Early referral creates time to discuss options before treatment begins.

Possible options

• Sperm cryopreservation, usually before treatment starts.
• Embryo cryopreservation after ovarian stimulation and egg retrieval.
• Mature oocyte cryopreservation after ovarian stimulation and retrieval.
• Ovarian tissue cryopreservation in selected circumstances and appropriate programs.
• Other surgical or treatment-modification strategies for specific diagnoses, coordinated with oncology.

Options for prepubertal patients, medically complex patients, and people with hormone-sensitive cancers require particularly specialized, multidisciplinary counseling.

What the consultation should cover

• The estimated fertility risk of the proposed treatment
• How much time is safely available
• Medical and anesthesia considerations
• The chance that stored tissue may be used later—and the uncertainty of future outcomes
• Storage, consent, disposition, cost, and legal considerations
• Alternative family-building options

Do not wait for treatment to end

Some preservation methods are most useful before gonadotoxic treatment begins. If treatment has already started, contact the oncology and fertility teams promptly; recommendations depend on the exact exposure and clinical circumstances.

Source

ASRM: Fertility preservation in patients with medical indications (2026)

Last reviewed: September 2026.