Fertility Preservation | Comprehensive Cancer Center | UC Davis Health

Speak up and ask your oncologist or care team members about options for fertility preservation! These questions can help get the conversation started:

• How will my cancer and cancer treatment affect my fertility?
• Based on my treatment plan, what is my risk of infertility [high, moderate, low]?
• What are my options for fertility preservation before I begin cancer treatment?
• How much time do I have to pursue fertility preservation before I begin cancer treatment?
• If I don’t preserve my fertility before treatment starts, what are my options later?
• Can you refer me to a fertility preservation specialist to discuss all my options?
• If I decide on preservation, what tests will I need before I begin?

Starting the conversation

• Don’t wait for your care team to bring up fertility preservation - you can ask for more information or a referral yourself!

Insurance coverage and costs vary

• Some health plans cover the cost of fertility procedures for cancer patients. You can appeal the decision if your health plan tells you that fertility preservation isn’t covered by your plan.

Financial assistance can help

• There are numerous options for financial assistance. Make sure you talk with your fertility specialist about this as well as your care team.

A fertility preservation specialist can help you decide what options are best for you, which may include:

Men and Adolescents

• Sperm freezing
• Surgical sperm extraction
• Electroejaculation
• Testicular shielding
• Testicular tissue freezing (experimental)

Women and Adolescents

• Egg freezing (unfertilized)
• Embryo freezing (fertilized egg)
• Ovarian shielding
• Ovarian transposition
• Conservative surgical approaches
• Ovarian tissue freezing (experimental)
• Hormonal suppression (experimental)

Pediatrics

• Ovarian or testicular tissue freezing (experimental)