Fertility Preservation Options for Cancer Patients
Whether you are putting off starting a family due to your professional career or have been thrust into this by a medical condition, at Houston Fertility Institute (HFI) we understand the pain, sorrow and anxiety associated with what you are going through – and we can help. Recent medical advances in the treatment of infertility offer new hope to couples. Houston Fertility Institute is on the leading edge of the newest technologies and treatment options. Impressive scientific advances in the area of assisted reproductive technologies (ART) offer more and more options to successfully treat patients. At Houston Fertility Institute (HFI), couples also have an option for high quality care that is close to home.
While cancer can affect women at any age, more than 130,000 patients of reproductive age are diagnosed with cancer annually and approximately 25% of patients diagnosed with breast cancer are still within reproductive age.
The emotional stress of cancer diagnosis and treatment is substantial, and potential effects on future fertility may be overlooked during this stressful and difficult time. Counseling cancer patients of reproductive age regarding their options for fertility preservation is one of the very important aspects of their treatment.
At Houston Fertility Institute (HFI) we are now able to successfully freeze oocytes, allowing patients who are diagnosed with cancer, before they have a partner, an option to safely store their eggs for future use ~ thus preserving their fertility options. We can ensure that any cancer patient that calls for a consult will be seen by one of our physicians within 24 hours. Furthermore, we have proven success with new fertility preservation protocols that allow the patients to start treatment immediately and return them back to their oncologist in as little as two weeks!
Previous attempts to freeze eggs had yielded very poor results until a new freezing method called vitrification was developed. This new method involved very rapid freezing with high amounts of cryoprotectants to minimize cell damage during the freezing process. Successful pregnancies have already been achieved using this technology, offering new hope to cancer patients at a very difficult time in their lives.
We are so excited to help pioneer fertility preservation! The key is knowledge and getting the word out that there is hope and Houston Fertility Institute can help!
