The use of fertility preservation services for cancer patients: a single institution experience. Academic Article uri icon

Overview

abstract

  • OBJECTIVE: To analyze the use of services regarding fertility preservation (FP) in cancer patients at a single institution. DESIGN: A retrospective cohort study. SETTING: Academic medical center. PATIENTS: A total of 208 FP referrals. INTERVENTIONS: None. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Method of FP; time from referral to FP intervention. RESULTS: A total of 553 patients were referred to a reproductive specialist for FP in the setting of a medical diagnosis from 2011 to 2016. Of these, 208 patients satisfied the inclusion criteria and met with a reproductive specialist. Ninety patients underwent FP services. The average age at referral was 30.9 ± 7.9 years. Breast cancer (n=94, 45%) and leukemia/lymphoma (n=62, 30%) were the most prevalent cancer diagnoses. A 68.9% of patients underwent oocyte cryopreservation (n=62), 26.7% underwent embryo cryopreservation (n=24) and 4.4% underwent ovarian tissue preservation (n=4). The time interval from the referral to the FP intervention ranged from 1 to 810 days, with a median of 17 days. CONCLUSIONS: In the setting of a cancer diagnosis, most patients undergoing FP intervention underwent oocyte cryopreservation, were <35 years old, and underwent FP intervention in <30 days from referral. Whereas FP should ideally be initiated at the time of cancer diagnosis, all patients with a cancer diagnosis should be referred to a reproductive specialist and counseled on options for FP to preserve the optionality for the reproductive future they desire.

publication date

  • August 7, 2022

Identity

PubMed Central ID

  • PMC9783135

Scopus Document Identifier

  • 85145248506

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

  • 10.1016/j.xfre.2022.08.001

PubMed ID

  • 36568923

Additional Document Info

volume

  • 3

issue

  • 4