Fertility Preservation

Cancer treatment and fertility

Thanks to advances in treatment and screening, more people are surviving cancer. But some cancer treatments can affect fertility and make conception difficult after treatment.

At UCSF Health, we offer a range of fertility preservation options for men and women who want the chance to have biological children after treatment.

Our board-certified reproductive endocrinologists are trained in fertility preservation for people with cancer. We have one of the most highly respected, certified embryology laboratories in the nation, staffed by experts in cryopreservation (preserving cells and tissues by freezing). Our team also includes specially trained nurses, a psychologist, a genetic counselor and a large administrative support staff.

We understand that after receiving a cancer diagnosis, you want to begin treatment as soon as possible. If you're interested in fertility preservation, we see you within 24 to 48 hours after your diagnosis. If you decide to proceed, we work closely with your cancer specialists to quickly integrate your fertility preservation choices into your treatment.

Our fertility preservation services

We care for patients with any type of cancer, as well as people receiving treatments for other conditions that may affect fertility.

Our areas of expertise include:

• Egg, embryo, ovarian tissue and sperm freezing (cryopreservation)

• Treatments to protect the ovaries during chemotherapy

• Genetic screening and counseling

• Pre-implantation genetic diagnosis to screen embryos for cancer-related genes

• Egg harvesting and sperm retrieval surgeries

• In vitro fertilization (IVF) and in vitro maturation (IVM)

• Embryo and egg donor programs

We also offer psychological counseling and complementary and alternative medicine services to support all aspects of your well-being.