Preserving Fertility in Cancer Patients
Lynn Marie Westphal, MD, associate professor of
obstetrics and gynecology and director of
Women's Health at Stanford University.
Alan S. Yatagai Photography
Preserving your child-bearing options for the future whenever possible is part of our life-affirming treatment approach at the Stanford Cancer Center. Please see our new brochure (PDF).
Fertility Preserving Surgery
Stanford surgeons are on the leading edge of developing surgeries that not only eradicate cancer, but also preserve tissues and organs important for fertility. For example, in some cases, it is now possible to surgically remove cancerous ovarian tissue while saving enough of the ovaries to produce eggs.
Assisted Reproduction
When fertility-conserving surgery is not possible, or when the reproductive organs are damaged by chemotherapy or radiation, you can rest in the knowledge that Stanford has some of the best infertility specialists in the world.
The Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility Center works closely with physicians and patients at the Stanford Cancer Center to provide services such as:
- Egg freezing
- Sperm freezing
- Embryo freezing
- In vitro fertilization
Eggs, sperm and embryos can be frozen indefinitely, so even if you aren't ready to start a family right away, you can still preserve your future options. For example, a single woman or man might choose to freeze their eggs or sperm in the event that they may wish to have children in the future.
Financial assistance is available for qualifying patients.
Trial Administration