When children, teens, or young adults undergo treatments for cancer or other serious conditions (such as chemotherapy, radiation, or stem cell transplant), there is a risk of permanent damage to reproductive organs and future fertility.
Fertility health is a vital component of long-term survivorship and quality of life. Our Fertility Preservation Program provides an individualized approach to assess the impact of treatment on future fertility and help families explore preservation options early in the treatment journey.
Our team provides fertility risk assessment and counseling at the time of diagnosis or treatment planning to maximize the window for preservation.
We discuss infertility risk based on:
Chemotherapy and radiation exposures
Patient age and pubertal status
Treatment timeline
Our multidisciplinary team includes pediatric hematology-oncologists, reproductive endocrinologists, urologists, and surgeons, ensuring coordinated and compassionate care. Each plan is tailored to the patient’s age, diagnosis, and family goals, integrating both standard-of-care and investigational options (such as tissue cryopreservation).
Our survivorship program provides ongoing follow-up to monitor hormonal and reproductive health and guide patients through long-term fertility outcomes.
FERTILITY PRESERVATION OPTIONS
Below is an overview of the options we may discuss. Some are standard, others are offered under clinical research protocols, especially for younger patients.
For Male Patients
| Pubertal / Clinical Status |
Possible Strategies |
| Postpubertal |
• Sperm cryopreservation / banking — collection (noninvasive) and long-term storage of semen specimens. |
| Prepubertal / no mature sperm |
• Testicular tissue cryopreservation (TTC) — biopsy of testicular tissue containing spermatogonial stem cells, frozen for potential future use (experimental)
• Radiation shielding — to reduce radiation exposure |
For Female Patients
| Pubertal / Clinical Status |
Possible Strategies |
| Postpubertal |
• Oocyte (egg) cryopreservation — hormonal stimulation, retrieval, and freezing of eggs
• Embryo cryopreservation (if sperm is available)
• Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist / suppression — as adjunctive strategy to reduce gonadotoxic effects |
| Prepubertal or limited time before therapy |
• Ovarian tissue cryopreservation (OTC) — surgical removal of ovarian cortical tissue, frozen for possible future reimplantation or in vitro maturation
• Ovarian shielding — shielding ovaries during radiation planning |
OUR TEAM
Our Fertility Preservation team works collaboratively across specialties to ensure timely consultation, individualized planning, and coordinated care.
- Mahvish Q. Rahim, MD: Pediatric Hematology, Oncology, and Cellular Therapy
- Moriah Rabin, MD: Pediatric Hematology, Oncology, and Cellular Therapy
- Harry J. Lieman, MD: Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility
- Staci E. Pollack, MD, MS: Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility
- Taryn Wassmer, MD: Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology
- Miriam Harel, MD: Urology
Our extended care team includes social workers and child life specialists who support families emotionally and logistically throughout the process
RESOURCES & FURTHER READING
The Oncofertility Consortium