IMR Press / CEOG / Volume 49 / Issue 9 / DOI: 10.31083/j.ceog4909205
Open Access Short Communication
Fertility Preservation in Oncological Patients
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1 Department of Anatomical, Histological, Forensic and Orthopedic Sciences, “Sapienza” University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy
2 New European Surgical Academy, 10117 Berlin, Germany
3 Department of Gynecology, The Charite University Hospital, 13353 Berlin, Germany
*Correspondence: mstark@nesacademy.org (Michael Stark)
Academic Editor: Liselotte Mettler
Clin. Exp. Obstet. Gynecol. 2022, 49(9), 205; https://doi.org/10.31083/j.ceog4909205
Submitted: 29 March 2022 | Revised: 22 June 2022 | Accepted: 24 June 2022 | Published: 1 September 2022
Copyright: © 2022 The Author(s). Published by IMR Press.
This is an open access article under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Abstract

Background: Lately, attention is given to fertility preservation in reproductive-age patients undergoing oncological treatment. This should become a routine part of today’s assisted reproductive technologies. Methods: Available oncofertility preservation methods, next to their clinical, ethical and legal implications are discussed, within the context of the right to health and its broader aspects as delineated in the 1946 Constitution of the World Health Organization. Results: Possible egg and sperm freezing. as well as ovarian tissue cryopreservation, should always be explained and suggested to fertility-age patients before starting oncological treatment. Sperm, oocyte, and embryo cryopreservation should become standard practice. Conclusions: All ethical, cultural, and moral aspects of fertility preservation in cancer patients are multifaceted and need to rely on principles that are based on widely-accepted guidelines and evidence-based practices. Adequate policy, legislation, and regulations should be agreed upon and implemented.

Keywords
fertility preservation
oncology
ovarian cryopreservation
IVF
sperm freezing
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