If you decide to have fertility treatment you will have the same sort of tests mentioned in the fertility testing information. Your partner (if you have one) will also need to have some tests.
There are different sorts of fertility treatment. The type you are advised to have will depend on the way that your cancer or treatment has affected your fertility.
It might be useful to look back at the section about what is fertility before going through this section.
if you are not producing eggs
If you are not producing any eggs at all, you will not be able to become a parent unless you stored your eggs before your cancer treatment.
using frozen eggs
As fertility treatment using frozen eggs is still at the experimental stage and not likely to lead to a successful pregnancy, they are not discussed as part of this information. Your cancer doctor can give you information about these procedures if you want to know more about them.
if you don’t have any frozen eggs
In this situation the only fertility treatment available is using frozen eggs or embryos that have been donated by someone else. People who donate eggs or embryos are carefully chosen. Their general health is checked and they are offered counselling to make sure that they understand exactly what it means to help infertile people in this way.
If you decide to have fertility treatment using eggs from a donor you will also be offered counselling and information about what it involves.
There can often be a waiting list for this treatment.
if your partner is fertile
You may be advised to have treatment using donated eggs. The donated eggs are fertilised with your partner’s sperm in the laboratory. The embryos that are formed are then put into your womb. You will need to have treatment with hormones before the embryos are implanted and during the pregnancy.
Since egg donors are usually young women with good fertility the chances of a successful pregnancy with this treatment are high.
