Fertility After Breast Cancer: Is It Possible?
After your breast cancer diagnosis, there are so many decisions that must be made. The process of planning your treatment and then following the steps for cancer treatment can be very overwhelming. When you determine your treatment plan, you want to consider your fertility and pregnancy issues to have children.
There are women who have become pregnant after breast cancer treatment. However, it is important to talk to your physician to understand your options for fertility before attempting to get pregnant. Careful thought and planning are important as specific breast cancer treatments can cause temporary infertility or permanent infertility.
When you are thinking about fertility after breast cancer, there are some things to consider.
Menstrual Cycle
Women who have regular periods after chemotherapy may have no problems getting pregnant, while others with irregular periods may find it difficult. Chemotherapy can damage your ovaries, as well as the eggs in the ovaries.
After chemotherapy, receiving your menstrual period shows that some eggs are maturing; however, it doesn’t mean fertility. Chemotherapy may also cause early or temporary menopause. It may take up to a year or more for your menstrual period to return.
If you are concerned about your fertility, it’s best to see a fertility specialist to check your ovaries and eggs to help you find if you are fertile.
Breast Cancer Recurrence
There are concerns from some women that the high hormone levels such as estrogen that occur in pregnancy might increase the chance of breast cancer coming back. According to the American Cancer Society, studies show that pregnancy doesn’t increase the risk of cancer returning after successful treatment.
Some physicians advise you to wait at least two to five years after breast cancer treatment is complete before trying to get pregnant. The length of time has not been proven scientifically, but at least two years is thought to be enough of a time frame to find any possible return of breast cancer.
Fertility Preservation Options
While considering pregnancy after breast cancer treatment, it’s important to discuss your fertility preservation options before treatment starts as early as possible. Although it’s never too late for you to explore your options, early discussion of fertility preservation gives you a more extensive range of options, such as freezing your eggs and embryo.
Financial Support
You may wonder if your medical insurance will pay for all of your preservation procedures. Some fertility preservation procedures may be covered if part of your radiation treatment, but coverage can be limited. Check with your insurance company to find out what is covered and what is not covered.
More than 650 fertility clinics in the United States help with financial assistance and discounted rates for egg and embryo freezing. There are also states such as California, Rhode Island, and New York that have passed a law that insurance companies cover fertility preservation procedures for cancer patients.
Other Options to Consider
If you are considering getting pregnant in the future, the thought of your fertility possibly being affected can be challenging. If you can’t become pregnant after breast cancer treatment, you can still become a parent. There are other options such as adoption, surrogacy, and in vitro fertilization using donor eggs.
Remember to reach out to your physician if you are concerned about fertility after breast cancer treatment. Often, counseling can help you figure out the options that come with surviving breast cancer and planning your future for fertility.
Schedule Your Next Breast Health Screening with Dr. Gore today!
If you have questions regarding fertility after breast cancer treatment, schedule your appointment with Dr. Gore by contacting North Atlanta Breast Care.
Disclaimer: This article is not a substitution for seeking medical attention.