8 out of 10 women who overcome cancer succeed in having a baby the following year

With appropriate fertility preservation measures, over 50% of patients bear a child with their own gametes

Barcelona, September 16th, 2022 - In the past 20 years, oncofertility is one of the specialities that is attaining significant relevance because over 80% of patients survive cancer with an excellent quality of life. However, we have experienced an increase in cases of gynaecological cancer among people of reproductive age and in childhood cancer. Recently, there has also been an exponential increase in cases of colon and lung cancer due to the increase in female smokers. This is why the field of oncofertility toils to improve the reproductive health of patients who overcome cancer so that they can plan for a family once they have overcome the illness. 

Another factor to consider is the delay in motherhood, which, in Spain, places the average age of first-time mothers between 27 and 32 years old. This trend means that the age of pregnancy and the age of cancer risk increasingly coincide, particularly after the age of 40. According to data from the assisted reproduction clinic , over 90% of cancer survivors are accepted by the Oncofertility Committee to start their family project.  Of these, more than 80% of patients finally achieve their goal of bringing a healthy baby home, taking an average time of a year to a year and a half from their first appointment until delivery, depending on whether there are additional sterility problems. If appropriate fertility preservation measures have been taken, such as egg or sperm freezing, over 50% of patients will have a child with their own gametes. Even so, at present, 90% of patients have to resort to gamete or embryo donation to be able to take home a healthy child.

On this matter, Dr. Alex Garcia-Faura, a renowned international specialist and researcher in assisted reproduction, states, 'Patients need someone to tell them that it is possible. We come across cases where it takes up to 8 years from when the patient is cured of cancer until the first appointment. Women need to know their options; we want them not to delay, we want them to enquire and inform themselves. If the diagnosis is recent, it is important to request an urgent first appointment with a specialised unit.' 

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