Fertility preservation is becoming increasingly important to improve the quality of life in cancer survivors. Despite guidelines suggesting that discussion of fertility preservation should be done prior to starting cancer therapies, there is a lack of implementation in this area. A number of techniques are available for fertility preservation, and they can be used individually or together in the same patient to maximize efficiency. Oocyte and embryo cryopreservation are now established techniques but have their limitations. Ovarian tissue cryopreservation though considered experimental at present, has a wider clinical application and the advantage of keeping the fertility window open for a longer time. Both chemotherapy and radiotherapy have a major impact on reproductive potential and fertility preservation procedures should be carried out prior to these treatments. The need for fertility preservation has to be weighed against morbidity and mortality associated with cancer. There is thus a need for a multidisciplinary collaboration between oncologists and reproductive specialists to improve awareness and availability
Fertility preservation in essence means preserving the ability of an individual or couple to start a family at a time of their choosing. Oncofertility is a term coined for fertility preservation in cancer patients. Improvement in cancer management and increasing survival rates has created a need for oncofertility. Current data suggest that for most tumors posttreatment pregnancy does not increase the risk of cancer progression or obstetric or neonatal outcome. The emphasis therefore has moved from providing life to providing quality of life.