It’s a
simple reality for many cancer survivors that fertility is lost in process of
saving their lives. While many patients find they cannot conceive personally
after treatments, the dream of having a family does not have to be given up
entirely. There are ways for cancer patients to sometimes preserve fertility or
seek alternatives. The issues, however, are important to consider and sometimes
address as treatments are ongoing.
Here are a
few things that people facing cancer
treatments might want to consider in regard to future family planning:
·
Fertility sparing treatments – The use of these
may depend on the type of cancer involved and the location and extent of the
tumor. When possible, doctors may be able to spare a person’s fertility while
still treating the cancer effectively.
·
Fertility planning – If treatments are likely to
damage a person’s fertility, it is sometimes possible to bank and freeze eggs,
embryos or sperm for future use. This preserves healthy cells for future use
one cancer has been appropriately addressed.
·
Adoption – Some cancer patients find that
adoption is a viable option that enables them to enjoy a family. Patients,
however, need to be mindful that many adoption agencies will require health
records and some will request a doctor’s letter that indicates the five-year
mark, for example, has been attained. Adoptions can also prove to be rather
expensive, giving rise to the need to save for them. Some patients will find
financial obstacles are less challenging if an adoption involves an older child who desperately needs a family.
·
Cancer can take its toll on a person’s ability
to create a family. Options do exist, however, to make the dream reality once
treatments have proven successful. Patients who are concerned about future
fertility are urged to discuss all their options carefully with their
healthcare providers. 
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