However, fertility may be affected by treatment. Up to one third of girls and boys experience impaired fertility following chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy. After a bone marrow transplantation, this incidence increases to more than two thirds. Radiotherapy of the brain can disrupt the maturation of eggs or the production of sperm. Pelvic radiotherapy at doses above 14 Gy may also affect the uterus, leading to an increased risk of complications during a future pregnancy.
Consultations in our centres will include information about the potential risk to your fertility, as well as the benefits and possible risks of fertility-preserving measures. For adolescents, decisions should be made jointly with their parents.
Also the latter option of adoption, in the case of a final infertility, should be mentioned as part of your counselling. It is worth mentioning that current evidence shows that chemotherapy and radiotherapy do not increase the risk of having a child with a congenital condition in the future.
The “Decision Aid” linked here is designed to support patients and families in making informed decisions about fertility preservation following consultation. It is a digital tool developed by psychologists, psychotherapists and specialists in reproductive medicine.
