Fertility preservation is the cryopreservation or freezing of eggs, embryos, sperm, or other reproductive tissue in order to protect your future options of building a family. While everyone’s reasons for preserving their fertility are different, their goal is the same: to maximize their chance of having a healthy baby when the time is right. The opportunity to cheat the biological clock wasn’t a possibility years ago, but today, men and women can rest easy knowing that they have never been more empowered to take charge of their future.
Is fertility preservation right for you? Read on for four reasons why you should consider preserving your fertility.
1. Cancer Patients About to Undergo Chemotherapy or Radiation
When diagnosed with cancer, typically your main focus is to explore your treatment options such as radiation, chemotherapy, or surgery. One area that you may not think about, however, is fertility preservation. Radiation and chemotherapy treatments, though life-saving, can damage fertility in both men and women. The good news is there are several fertility preservation options available for men, women, adolescents, and children. It is best to explore your options before cancer treatment starts.
2. Women With a Family History of Early Menopause
Early menopause, also known as premature ovarian insufficiency, is a frightening concept for women who are struggling to conceive a baby. This diagnosis is applied to women whose period stops permanently before their 40s, which happens when the ovaries no longer have eggs to produce. Women with a family history of early menopause who also want to have children can elect to have their eggs frozen when they are young in order to preserve their fertility.
3. Women Over the Age of 35 Who Might Want Children in the Future
For many women, simply waiting to get pregnant is a major contributor to infertility. About 20% of women in the U.S. wait to have their first child until after the age of 35, making age a growing cause of fertility problems. Luckily, we live in a time where women are able to take better control of when they want to have kids–by freezing their eggs, for example.
4. Military Personnel
For members of the military serving abroad or in a combat situation, fertility preservation is an important step in being prepared for life after you return from service. A military career can delay family building and increase the risk of age-related infertility. Toxic exposures or Injury to the reproductive organs on or off the battlefield while on active duty can also pose a risk to fertility. Preserving fertility before active duty is an excellent step for proactive family planning.
Interested in learning more about preserving your fertility? Contact The Fertility Preservation Program in Pittsburgh today.