Safeguarding fertility
Fertility preservation is a medical measure to preserve the chance of future parenthood. The procedure is particularly important before oncological treatment, with endometriosis, autoimmune diseases or operations on the reproductive organs. In women, it involves freezing ova, in men it involves freezing sperm. The process takes from a few hours to two weeks, depending on gender. Frozen cells can be stored for years without loss of quality. The effectiveness depends mainly on the age at the time of securing fertility. Find out when it is worth making this decision and what methods are available.
Highlights
- Fertility preservation is a medical procedure to preserve the possibility of having children in the future from treatments that can damage reproductive cells.
- The most common indications include oncological treatment, endometriosis, premature ovarian expiration and autoimmune diseases such as type I diabetes or Hashimoto's.
- In women, the process takes 10-14 days and includes hormonal stimulation and egg retrieval; in men, it can be completed in a few hours.
- The chances of pregnancy from frozen cells in women under 35 years of age are 40-50% per cycle, so early protection is key.
There are life situations in which our fertility can start to fade faster than it should. There are various causes: oncological diseases, autoimmune conditions, endometriosis, but the solution remains one: it is worth safeguarding fertility while it is still possible.
At Invimed, we help you protect your chance of parenthood and preserve your fertility until you are ready or ready.
What is fertility preservation?
Safeguarding fertility (fertility preservation) is a medical measure to preserve the possibility of having children in the future. It is particularly important in people who are at risk of the disease or its treatment will damage reproductive cells or adversely affect future egg or sperm production. With the right procedures, you can preserve your fertility for when you decide to have a baby.
Who can safeguard their fertility?
Most common indications for fertility preservation
In accordance with by the law of 25 June 2015 on treatment of infertility, fertility preservation is possible when there is a risk of permanent or significant deterioration of reproductive capacity, due to illness, injury or planned treatment.
Indications for safeguarding fertility for the future may be as follows
Oncological treatment
Oncological treatment can directly affect the loss or significant impairment of fertility, e.g. after ovarian surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, radioisotope treatment, so fertility preservation should take place before planned surgery, radioactive iodine, chemotherapy or radiotherapy.
Patients who wish to safeguard fertility before or during oncology treatment are admitted out of turn and can benefit from nationwide reimbursement of oncopombination in all invimed clinics.
Endometriosis
Endometriosis is not just about pain. It is also a reduced quality and number of oocytes, adhesions and inflammation that make it difficult to get pregnant, and the risk of losing ovarian reserve during genital surgery. In the case of endometriosis, freezing oocytes (egg cells) helps to safeguard a woman's fertility for the future.
Premature expiry of ovarian function (POI)
Premature extinction of ovarian function leads to irreversible loss of reproductive capacity, and postponing the decision to secure fertility is associated with a significant deterioration in the effectiveness of the entire procedure. When ovarian reserve is declining, freezing may be the best policy for the future.
Autoimmune diseases
A number of autoimmune diseases have a documented impact on the risk of premature ovarian expiration. Among the most common are type I diabetes, Hashimoto's disease, alopecia areata, pernicious anaemia, remautoid arthritis, coeliac disease and multiple sclerosis.
Genetic diseases
Genetic diseases significantly increase the difficulty of getting pregnant and having biological offspring. Particularly if a medical history has confirmed the possibility of inheriting a genetic disease, it is worth considering safeguarding fertility for the future.
Surgical procedures
Surgical procedures in the reproductive organs can significantly affect ovarian reserve in women and the process of spermatogenesis in men, so it is advisable to consider a procedure to freeze the oocytes, sperm or tissues responsible for their production before the planned operation.
Why is fertility preservation so important?
These procedures will enable the patient or patient to make an informed decision about parenthood in the future. Even if the treatment results in infertility, the stored cells or tissues may make it possible to have a biological child.
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Health or life-saving treatment can irreversibly damage fertility.
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The decision to hedge often needs to be made quickly, before treatment begins.
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It's a way of maintaining a sense of greater empowerment and hope, both of which are key during recovery.
Frequently asked questions - FAQ
Frozen ova can be stored for up to a dozen years without significant loss of quality. According to the germ cell and embryo bank Invimed
The longest time that elapsed from the vitrification of an egg to its use in a successful assisted reproduction procedure and clinical pregnancy was nine years.
In the Invimed clinics, oncology patients undergo a special procedure that allows the entire process of fertility preservation to be carried out as quickly as possible. As a result, the delay in the start of oncology treatment, if any, is minimal and has no significant impact on the treatment process.
The effectiveness depends mainly on the woman's age at the time of cell freezing, which is why it is important to approach the fertility preservation procedure as young as possible. In women up to 35 years of age, the chances of pregnancy are around 40-50% per cycle, while older patients have lower rates due to the poorer quality of the oocytes.
There are many factors that influence the timing, so it is advisable in the first instance to make an appointment for a fertility preservation consultation with our specialist, who will explain the whole process and choose the right methods.
Bibliography:
- Act of 25 June 2015 on infertility treatment (Journal of Laws 2015, item 1087). Available: https://isap.sejm.gov.pl/isap.nsf/DocDetails.xsp?id=WDU20150001087
- Ministry of Health (2024). Health policy programme - Infertility treatment involving medically assisted procreation procedures, including safeguarding fertility for the future in people before or during oncological treatment. Dostępne: https://www.gov.pl/attachment/a07cebde-7532-4a48-a764-21ff84ef8977
- Spaczyński, R. Z., Szubert, M., Patel, S. (eds.). (2021). Endometriosis. Warsaw: Wydawnictwo Lekarskie PZWL. ISBN: 978-83-200-6332-7.
- Zgliczynski, W., Zgliczynska, M. (2014). Premature expiration of ovarian function. Advances in Medical Sciences, 12/2014, 860-864. Available: https://www.czytelniamedyczna.pl/4978,przedwczesne-wygasanie-czynnoci-jajniklw.html
The medical information presented should be considered as general guidelines and does not replace the individual judgement of the doctor regarding the medical management of each patient. The doctor, after a thorough examination of the patient's condition, determines the extent and frequency of diagnostic tests and/or therapeutic procedures, taking into account specific medical indications. All medical decisions are made in full consultation with the patient.
Author of the article
Invimed editorial team - we serve patients by solving their fertility problems. We use world medical knowledge, state-of-the-art technology and treatment methods. We are here to make dreams of parenthood come true. The smiles on the faces of happy parents give meaning to our work.
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