Cancer and Future Fertility-How To Preserve !!

                

                                     Author-Dr Richa Sharma(IVF Consultant Mumbai)

Cancer is increasing in prevalence with improved detection and diagnostic techniques so prolonging the life and improving the quality of life.It has been observed to be affecting more of younger age groups so can have a lethal effect of the future fertility by destruction of their gametes (sperm or eggs). As doctor we feel need of spreading awareness at multidisciplinary level regarding preservation of future fertility which needs counseling and guidance at preliminary stages only before the damage happens.

Various Methods-

·         Oocyte/Egg cryopreservation

·         Sperm Cryopreservation

·         Embryo freezing

Method will vary as per the clinical status

Oocyte  cryopreservation.

Egg freezing means removing mature eggs and freezing them for later. This process may also be called egg banking . Its done in cancer patients preferably before exposure to chemo and radiotherapy.Its same like an IVF cycle except that embryos are not formed.Here  medications are given  to stimulate the development of multiple follicles in the ovaries.

Type of cancer can also decide the protocols.

Besides there are now more patient friendly mild stimulation protocol especially in estrogen sensitive cancers

The eggs are retrieved from the patient using a transvaginal technique under anesthesia and are kept frozen for future use by a method called vitrification.  

Frozen eggs can be kept frozen for years(5 years as per ICMR but not specified for cancer cases) till the woman decides to use them for conception  and once the patient is ready to get pregnant, the eggs are thawed and then fertilized using ICSI, an assisted reproductive technology that injects one sperm directly into the egg. The embryos (fertilized eggs) will then be transferred into the woman’s uterus (womb) in order to achieve a pregnancy.

Embryo Freezing 

 It has the highest success rate compared to any other treatment.  Its like normal IVF when eggs are retrieved and mixed with sperms. Once fertilized, the embryos (fertilized eggs) grow in the laboratory for 3-5 days until they are suitable for freezing.  

Sperm Freezing

Sperm Freezing is an effective and simplest way for men who have gone through puberty to store sperm for future use. Many men can store sperm (either from natural ejaculate or from a TESA sample

Fertility Solutions and Health Tips: What To Expect In An IVF Consultation

Fertility Solutions and Health Tips: What To Expect In An IVF Consultation: Author – Dr Richa Sharma(Senior IVF Consultant Mumbai) IVF(Invitrofertilization) is   considered as most successful ART.But as patien...

What To Expect In An IVF Consultation

Author – Dr Richa Sharma(Senior IVF Consultant Mumbai)

IVF(Invitrofertilization) is   considered as most successful ART.But as patients its important that you should know that it has limitations even in the best circumstances and is guarded by certain confounding factors ranging from your age to clinical skills  with proper training of your treating doctor to the lab parameters. If you are claimed 100 or 200% results then that must be God’s Promise as its beyond limitation of a human at least.So don’t get carried away by the Google ads and other advertisement and brand names and age only –do your proper homework before you get treated.What is more important and expected is not just to start you on injectable medicines but the right guidance with cafeteria choice with definitely paying due respect to what you decide as a couple with open mind.Availability of different tests and glamourous equipments with fancy medicines doesn’t mean you need all
Here are few things you should learn before stepping into any clinic to have a smooth journey of parenthood

1)      Your clinical profile-

Success of an IVF revolves around as what is the age of female partner because as the age advances(more than 35 years) quality and quantity of eggs(ovarian reserve) will decline so further compromising the success rate.Chances range between 30 to 45%  with own eggs and sperms and 50 to 60% in Surrogacy and donor gametes

2)      Get basic check up done-

You should get at least ovarian reserve and semen test done before you reach Doctor

3)      Preconceptional advise- (Prevention is better than cure)

Start Folic acid(Prenatal Vitamins) before you plan pregnancy at least one month prior .It will help save your baby against brain and spinal disorders because at the end we want you to have healthy baby

4)      Medical clearance-

If you are more than 40 years age or if you have any history of medical ailments associated so get yourself treated prior hand only .Purpose is to see that you are medically fit to carry the pregnancy or you don’t carry any disease which can impact your baby.No hurry is more precious than being safe first.

5)       Know Your Problem First-

Term Infertility or labeling someone as Infertile looks very harsh.Its important you should know the difference.If you had any pregnancy or abortion earlier then you are subfertile-it means you have decreased fertility but still you have much better chances of having baby than the couple who never had any pregnancy

6)      Donor not always an answer to nil sperms-

 Even if your husband has zero sperms(azoopsermia), it doesn’t mean that you have to opt only for donor sperms.Still healthy sperms can be obtained from his testes by a minor surgery called SSR(Surgical sperm retrieval) like TESA,PEAS,MESA,TESE,MICROTESE.

*These are facts are based on clinical experience and observation of author