Chemotherapy or radiotherapy can harm the ovaries or uterus, but cancer treatment doesn't have to mean infertility. Unfortunately, awareness about fertility preservation options remains limited. Saskia, not yet 30, dreamed of having children when she received her cancer diagnosis.
Saskia was in her late 20s with a strong desire for children but no partner. She visited her gynecologist to explore options for egg freezing and becoming a single mother.
"From age 18, I've wanted children," she shares. "As my 30th birthday neared, I thought: I could find a partner by 45, but natural pregnancy might not be possible then. So I saw the gynecologist. Routine tests revealed malignant cells in my Pap smear, and a biopsy confirmed cervical cancer. At 27, I went from healthy to cancer patient in a week."
The oncologist explained that a full hysterectomy was typical for her case, but given her youth and family goals, an alternative was viable: chemotherapy to shrink the tumor, followed by removal of just the affected cervix portion. This preserved her uterus for future pregnancy—provided the cancer hadn't spread and radiation wasn't needed, which it wasn't.
"Fertility was discussed from day one because I raised it with the gynecologist," Saskia says. "It was my top concern, even more than the cancer. Death wasn't on my mind. I now get checkups every three months, take the pill for hormone stability, and must wait up to two years post-treatment to try for pregnancy. My desire is stronger than ever."
Quality of Life
Growing attention focuses on quality-of-life issues for cancer survivors, including fertility for many women—yet it's often underexplored.
Fertility Preservation Options
Techniques like egg, ovarian tissue, or embryo freezing, or relocating ovaries outside radiation fields, enable many women to have children post-treatment.
Underutilized Referrals
Fewer than 10% of female patients are referred to fertility specialists, despite likely interest among many.
Why So Few?
The topic's sensitivity and oncologists' varying knowledge of options may contribute. Lobke Bastings, PhD, researched this extensively in her doctoral thesis.
