• Skip to content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • Shop ModernMom
  • Become An Insider

ModernMom

The premiere destination for moms

  • Parenting
    • Pregnancy
    • Baby
    • Kids
    • Tweens and Teens
    • ModernMom Monday Videos
  • Cooking
  • Living Healthy
    • Breast Cancer
    • Health & Fitness
    • Body after Baby
    • Beauty
    • Relationships
    • Love
  • Lifestyle
    • Crafts
    • At Home
    • Education
    • Travel
    • Pets
    • Decorate
    • Money
    • Brooke Burke
  • Celebrate
    • Holidays
      • Easter
      • Valentine’s Day
      • New Year’s
      • Christmas
      • Hanukah
      • Halloween
      • Thanksgiving
    • Birthdays
    • Parties
  • Must Have
  • Contests
  • Entertainment

Effects of Chemotherapy on Fertility

August 23, 2010 by ModernMom Staff Leave a Comment

Chemotherapy can affect both men and women regarding fertility. If you are of childbearing age, and you or your husband needs to undergo cancer treatment, you should talk with your doctor before starting treatment to learn what changes you may have to your fertility, recommends the National Cancer Institute. Effects of chemotherapy on fertility vary depending on the type of chemotherapy you get, the length of treatment and the type of cancer you have.

Effects on Men

In men, chemo can cause infertility primarily through damage to the lining of the testicles. This damage can reduce or eliminate sperm in the semen, according to Chemocare.com.

Effects on Women

The age of the woman who gets chemotherapy largely affects fertility. Younger women in their 30s, for example, are capable of tolerating higher doses of chemo without going into menopause than women in their 40s. Chemo can also cause ovarian damage or failure. In that case, a woman will have a more difficult time getting pregnant, if she can at all.

About Chemo Drugs

Drugs that belong to a group called alkylating agents are more likely to cause infertility, according to BreastCancer.org. Some examples are cisplatin, busulfan, ifosfamide, cyclophosphamide and melphalan. Other categories of chemo drugs are less likely to cause infertility. They include methotrexate, 5-flurouracil and vincristine.

Options for Women

You may want to consider freezing your eggs before you start chemotherapy. Doctors can freeze fertilized or unfertilized eggs and store them for you to use after you have completed your cancer treatment. Freezing fertilized eggs is a more standard procedure. Freezing unfertilized is a newer procedure and is an attractive option for women who do not have a partner but would like the option of having children someday.

Options for Men

Before beginning cancer treatment, men might want to bank their sperm. Typically, a man would make three to six sperm donations over a two-week period, according to Chemocare.com. Sperm banks can store the donations for up to 50 years without damage.

Use Birth Control

Chemotherapy can disrupt or stop your menstrual cycle. The American Cancer Society warns that you can still get pregnant during this time. You should use birth control if you do not want to get pregnant while you are undergoing cancer treatment.

Photo Credit

  • teenage problems image by Leticia Wilson from Fotolia.com

Comments

comments

Filed Under: Pregnancy

About ModernMom Staff

Reader Interactions

Primary Sidebar

Search

Tell a friend

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

ModernMom TV

Featured

10 Life Lessons I Want To Pass On To My Daughter

I look at my little girl, who is now three years old, and I … [Read More...] about 10 Life Lessons I Want To Pass On To My Daughter

Must Have

STEM-related Toys to Include in Your Child’s Easter Basket This Year 

April has arrived which means it’s time to pull out the food … [Read More...] about STEM-related Toys to Include in Your Child’s Easter Basket This Year 

Did you know?

Baby Brain Development in the Womb

How Long to Bake a Pre-Cooked Frozen Casserole?

Juice Vs. Concentrate

Juice Vs. Concentrate

Cover a Pork Roast

Should You Cover a Pork Roast & Add Liquid When Baking?

How Long Can Cupcakes Be Stored After Baking

How Long Can Cupcakes Be Stored After Baking?

Functions of Flour in Baking

What Are the Functions of Flour in Baking?

Night Sweats During Pregnancy

Night Sweats During Pregnancy

signs of pregnancy

How Long Does It Take to Show Signs of Pregnancy?

cold sore and fever blister remedies

Cold Sore and Fever Blister Remedies

Breast Pains & Pregnancy

Breast Pains & Pregnancy

Footer

  • About Us
  • Contact ModernMom
  • Advertise With Us
  • Press
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Contributors

Copyright © 2023 Modern Mom. All Rights Reserved.

Reproduction of any portion of this website only at the express permission of Mom, Inc.

The information provided on ModernMom is for educational use only. It should not be used as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.