Fertility Preservation Program
Thanks to advances in fertility preservation, cancer patients and others who wish to preserve fertility for the future now have many options. We can freeze (cryopreserve) embryos, eggs, sperm, and testicular tissue, and also extract sperm. Our specialists offer a new method of freezing immature egg cells (oocytes) that has a significantly higher rate of conception than previous methods.
Ovaries are very sensitive to chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatment, especially certain forms of chemotherapeutic therapies. Women who are younger than 30 have a higher chance of recuperating their ovarian function after chemo or radiotherapy, as opposed to older women. However, since it is impossible to predict the true risk of premature menopause, it is always recommended to consider fertility preservation prior to beginning chemotherapy or radiotherapy.
Likewise, chemotherapy and radiation can harm a man's fertility. We offer sperm cryopreservation, as well as the option of having sperm extracted from the testis during a testicular biopsy. We then freeze the sperm, which can be held until the man is ready for fatherhood.
Our Team
Our staff includes physicians who specialize in reproductive endocrinology and infertility, including one dually trained in treating both men and women. Our nurses and other caregivers, including a social worker, are up-to-date on the newest advances in infertility.
In Connecticut, insurance companies are required to cover fertility preservation for female and male patients age 40 and under who have had cancer or other medical conditions. Our staff will help patients work with their insurance company, or for those without insurance, we offer self-pay options.
