cryoFertility
A fertility preservation program for cancer (and other) patients.
CryoFertility ™
CryoFertility™ is the fertility preservation program at IVF1 specifically for cancer patients and others with a health condition that may impact fertility.
Those undergoing treatment for diseases such as cancer can face risk to their fertility. Chemotherapy, a term used to describe medications used to treat cancer and some other diseases, can damage or destroy eggs in the ovaries. Since an individual in born with all of the eggs they will ever produce, any eggs that are destroyed cannot be replaced. Chemotherapy can compromise ovarian reserve, and in some cases cause complete ovarian failure -- sometimes referred to as premature ovarian failure or premature menopause.
Those who experience varian failure as a result of chemotherapy might not be able to get pregnant. Fortunately, technology is available to preserve fertility by retrieving and freezing eggs.
.webp)
Program Purpose
The purpose of the CryoFertility™ program is to provide patients with the opportunity to freeze their eggs prior to starting treatment regimens that could cause loss of fertility. While we cannot eliminate all possible costs associated with this process, it is our hope that we can help patients preserve fertility without creating a financial burden.
Several years ago, Dr. Morris and a group of Illinois fertility physicians participated in an initiative to pass legislation that would help cover the costs of fertility preservation. In August 2018, the governor signed House Bill 2617, which requires insurers to provide coverage for certain fertility preservation procedures (“standard” procedures for “medically necessary” procedures to prevent “iatrogenic infertility").
Program Benefits
- No charge for an initial consultation with a physician or nurse practitioner
- No charge for testing that is performed by the IVF1 laboratory (such as hormone blood tests and ultrasounds)
- No charges from IVF1 for completing an egg freezing cycle
- No charge for egg freezing
- No charge for storage of frozen eggs for one year
- IVF1 will attempt to obtain free fertility medications for patients through outside programs
Who is eligible?
Permanent residents of Naperville, Illinois who:
- Are interested in preserving their fertility.
- Have been diagnosed with cancer or another serious medical problem requiring treatment that will jeopardize fertility.
- Have been prescribed a regimen of chemotherapy that has been shown to cause ovarian failure.
- Do not have insurance coverage for fertility preservation/egg freezing.
What is not covered?
- The costs to obtain fertility medications (however, IVF1 will help find programs providing free or discounted medications).
- Anesthesia for egg retrieval procedure (an estimated $500).
- Any testing that must be performed outside of the IVF1 laboratory.
Fertility preservation for cancer FAQ
Egg freezing may be especially useful for cancer patients. Health data in the United States from 2001 shows that 8% of women diagnosed with cancer were under the age of 40. In 2007, an estimated 180,000 women were diagnosed with invasive breast cancer. Approximately 5% of those women were under the age of 40 at the time of diagnosis, making them good candidates for fertility preservation. In fact, about 30% of women under the age of 40 have never been pregnant, and many of these women are single. In breast cancer, 81% of young women who undergo treatment with chemotherapy and radiation will be free of disease after 5 years. Unfortunately, less than 5% of women diagnosed with breast cancer under the age of 40 will go on to deliver a live born child.
Unfortunately for women of childbearing age, treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation have been shown to cause damage to maturing follicles in the ovaries. These treatments are used to kill rapidly dividing cells but may cause damage to the eggs stored in the ovaries as well. In many cases, women who undergo chemotherapy or radiation will enter menopause prematurely and be unable to have children using their own eggs.
Currently, the recommendation for males who undergo treatment with chemotherapy or radiation is to collect several semen specimens prior to treatment so that they can be frozen before treatment begins. Later, if they become sterile as a result of treatment, the frozen sperm can be used for intrauterine insemination or in vitro fertilization. This method is easy, inexpensive, and highly effective.
If a woman who is diagnosed with cancer has a partner with whom she wishes to conceive but is not ready to attempt pregnancy, the best option for them is create embryos through IVF and freeze the embryos (embryo cryopreservation). Embryo cryopreservation has been performed successfully for many years and is currently considered the gold standard in fertility preservation.
Those who may not have a partner that they want to have children with, or are too young to have partner, are ideal candidates for egg freezing.
Many cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy and radiation, can significantly affect your fertility by damaging the ovaries and reducing egg reserve. Freezing your eggs before starting cancer treatment offers a proactive way to preserve your fertility, allowing you the possibility to build your biological family in the future.
Ideally, egg freezing should be done as soon as possible and before starting cancer treatment. The process typically takes two to four weeks, so it is crucial to consult with your oncologist and a fertility specialist to plan your procedure without significantly delaying your cancer treatment.
The success rates of pregnancy using frozen eggs depend on various factors, including your age at the time of freezing and the number of eggs frozen. Generally, eggs can remain viable for many years -- potentially over a decade -- though it is recommended you use them sooner for higher success rates.
