Ovarian tissue preservation
Whilst this is still a relatively new procedure, some women and young girls are eligible for ovarian tissue preservation. The procedure can be carried out before or after puberty.
You will undergo a keyhole surgical procedure called a laparoscopy that involves your surgeon passing long, thin surgical instruments into your pelvic area via surgical cuts in your abdomen whilst you’re under a general anaesthetic.
Your surgeon will remove thin strips of tissue from your ovaries which will then be frozen. At a later date following your cancer treatment, this tissue can then be thawed and transplanted back onto your ovaries.
It may then begin to function again, releasing eggs that may then become fertilised naturally or via IVF techniques.
Ovarian suppression
Ovarian suppression is a procedure that uses hormonal drugs to temporarily shut down the activity of the ovaries by putting a woman into a temporary menopause. The theory is that whilst they’re shut down, the ovaries are protected from the potentially damaging effects of certain cancer treatments. It will however cause menopause symptoms that can be unpleasant.
It’s in its infancy but doctors hope that once the treatment has ended and the ovaries begin to function again, they may be less likely to have sustained damage.
In some cases, such as if a woman has had to have her ovaries or womb removed due to cancer or despite fertility preservation techniques, a woman may be infertile.
Depending on the circumstances, there may be other options available such as using a donor egg or donor embryo fertilised either with your partners sperm or donor sperm which can then be implanted if you have a womb.
Gain, depending on your circumstances, you may need to undergo some hormonal treatments such as daily self-administered injections in order to prepare your womb and support a growing embryo.
If you no longer have a womb, or you’re unable to carry a pregnancy full term, you may be able to consider surrogacy. A surrogate can receive an embryo created using your egg or a donor egg, fertilised with your partners sperm or donor sperm. In this case, the surrogate has no genetic relationship to your baby.
Alternatively, a surrogate can undergo IVF style procedures to harvest a mature egg that can then be artificially inseminated using your partners sperm or donor sperm. The embryo is then implanted back into her womb, and she will be genetically related to your baby.
You may also like to consider adoption.
Whatever your outcome and whatever your decisions regarding your future fertility, we truly do wish you all the best.