Cancer treatment may make it difficult to conceive a pregnancy later. However, preserving your fertility after a cancer diagnosis is possible if you have not yet started treatment.
If your future plans include starting a family, speak with your oncologist about how treatment could affect reproductive health and fertility before starting any cancer therapy. St. Luke’s Cancer Center has partnered Abington Reproductive Medicine and reproductive endocrinologist Dr. Tara Budinetz to offer patients options to help protect their future ability to conceive a pregnancy.
Best friends since high school, Laury goes to her fertility specialist friend, Tara, for help having a baby and winds up with an unexpected diagnosis.
Options for women include:
- Embryo freezing: freezing a fertilized egg for use at a later date
- Egg freezing: freezing eggs to be used at a later date
- Ovarian shielding: shielding the ovaries during radiation treatment to avoid exposure to ovaries
- Ovarian transposition: moving the ovaries out of the radiation field during radiation
- Fertility-sparing surgery: leaving one or more ovaries in place; should not be done without appropriate consultation with oncology
Options for men include:
- Sperm banking:freezing sperm to be used at a later date
- Radiation shielding: shielding the gonads at the time of radiation treatment
Can I afford this?
Abington Reproductive Medicine provides subsidized rates for cancer patients and works closely with the Fertility Hope Foundation / Sharing Hope Financial Assistance Program.
Reproductive endocrinologist Dr. Tara Budinetz
Dr. Budinetz is the recipient of multiple awards. She is a compassionate physician who has extensive knowledge of reproductive endocrinology and infertility, and offers the latest treatment technology.
Immediate care is available for cancer care patients. Call today and make your appointment: 215-887-2010.
Dr. Budinetz sees patients at:
Abington Reproductive Medicine – Bethlehem
2591 Baglyos Circle, Suite C-46
Bethlehem, PA 18020
For more information and additional office locations, visit Abington Reproductive Medicine.