Fertility preservation is an increasingly important area of reproductive medicine, relevant for cancer patients, individuals with medical conditions that could impact fertility over time, and those who wish to delay parenthood and want to protect their options while they are younger.
Fertility preservation is the process of saving eggs, sperm, or reproductive tissue so they can be used have biological children in the future. Eggs and sperm are most viable when we are younger, and preserving them early gives the best possible chance of success when the time comes to use them.
Fertility preservation offers a genuine opportunity to keep your options open, whatever the future holds. The first step is a consultation with Dr Rozen to understand your circumstances and determine which preservation method is right for you.
Egg freezing involves stimulating the ovaries to produce multiple eggs, retrieving them, and freezing them for future use. It is suitable for both elective preservation and preservation ahead of medical treatment.
Sperm freezing allows men to bank a sperm sample for future use. It is recommended for men facing cancer treatment or other medical procedures that may affect sperm production, as well as those who wish to preserve fertility for personal reasons.
Embryo freezing involves fertilising eggs with sperm to create embryos, which are then frozen for future use. It is commonly used when embryos remain after an IVF cycle, and can also be pursued proactively by couples who want to preserve fertility together.
Preserving eggs, sperm, embryos, or ovarian tissue before cancer treatment begins can keep the option of biological children open, and because the window to act can be small, an early referral matters.
