What is Livestrong Fertility?
Livestrong Fertility is a program designed to help cancer patients and survivors navigate fertility preservation options and build their families. Cancer treatments such as chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery can potentially impact reproductive health, making it crucial for patients to consider fertility preservation before beginning treatment.
Who Should Consider Fertility Preservation?
Anyone diagnosed with cancer who wishes to have children in the future should consider fertility preservation. This includes both men and women, as well as adolescents and young adults. Discussing fertility options with healthcare providers early on is essential for making informed decisions.
Egg Freezing: This involves stimulating the ovaries to produce multiple eggs, retrieving the eggs, and freezing them for future use.
Embryo Freezing: Similar to egg freezing, but the retrieved eggs are fertilized with sperm before being frozen.
Ovarian Tissue Freezing: A surgical procedure where ovarian tissue is removed and frozen for later transplantation.
Ovarian Suppression: Using medications to temporarily shut down ovarian function during chemotherapy to protect the ovaries.
When Should Fertility Preservation be Considered?
Fertility preservation should ideally be considered before starting cancer treatment. Early consultation with a fertility specialist can provide patients with the best options tailored to their individual circumstances. However, some methods, like egg or sperm freezing, can be pursued even after beginning treatment, although success rates may be lower.
Providing educational resources about fertility preservation.
Connecting patients with fertility clinics and specialists.
Offering financial assistance to help cover the costs of fertility preservation.
Supporting patients through counseling and emotional support services.
What Financial Assistance is Available?
Fertility preservation can be expensive, but
Livestrong Fertility provides financial support to eligible patients. This assistance can help cover the costs of procedures like egg or sperm freezing, as well as medications and storage fees. Additionally, some insurance plans may cover part of the costs, so it’s important to check with your provider.
