As far as we know, most young people who have had cancer will find that the cancer or its treatment does not permanently damage their reproductive system. There’s still a lot to learn about the effects, so your doctor or nurses may not be able to give you full information about how your fertility may be affected.
Most teenagers and young adults who have had cancer will not have long-term problems. Just after treatment, it is often not possible to tell for some time what damage, if any, has been done and whether the damage is temporary or permanent. This can be a worrying time for you.
If the damage to your reproductive system is temporary, how quickly it recovers varies. Full recovery can never be guaranteed. If the damage is permanent, you won't be able to have childen in the usual way. This can be very distressing and you may need to have emotional support.
contraception
During treatment and for a while after treatment, you'll usually be advised to use contraception if you’re having sex, even though you and your doctor may not know if any damage has been done to your fertility. This is so that you do not accidentally become pregnant or make a woman pregnant while you are still recovering from the effects of the treatment. Barrier methods of contraception (eg, condoms) can also reduce the risk of sexually transmitted infections. Your doctor or nurse can discuss this with you.
