Fertility vs. Cancer
How does cancer and chemotherapy affect fertility for women?
Written by: Taylor Gibbs
A cancer diagnosis changes everything. In an instant, life becomes a series of urgent decisions focused on survival—tests, treatments, and timelines. For many patients, especially those diagnosed during their reproductive years, there is another life-altering question that often sits quietly in the background.
Will I be able to have children?
How Cancer Treatment Affects Fertility
Many cancer treatments can harm fertility, either temporarily or permanently. Chemotherapy, radiation, and some surgeries don’t discriminate between cancer cells and healthy reproductive cells.
Chemotherapy can damage eggs or sperm, sometimes leading to early menopause or low sperm counts.
Radiation therapy, especially near the pelvis or brain, can affect reproductive organs or the hormones that regulate them.
Surgery may involve removing reproductive organs entirely, depending on the type and stage of cancer.
The impact depends on factors like age, treatment type, dosage, and overall health—but uncertainty is almost always part of the picture.
Fertility Preservation: Options and Limitations
Advances in oncofertility have created more options than ever before, including:
Egg or embryo freezing
Sperm banking
Ovarian tissue freezing
Fertility-sparing surgeries for certain cancers
However, these options are not equally accessible to everyone. Cost, time constraints, medical eligibility, and lack of information can all be barriers. Not every patient is offered a fertility consultation, and not every patient feels able to advocate for one. This is where systemic gaps become painfully clear.
The Bottom Line
Fertility should be addressed early and openly in cancer care, not treated as an afterthought. In our podcast we touch on these related topics when speaking with Dr. Chuan, a fertility specialist at San Diego Fertility Center and named one of America’s Top Doctors. Overall, Patients deserve clear information, compassionate guidance, and meaningful choices about their reproductive futures alongside life-saving treatment. This conversation isn’t about fertility versus cancer—it’s about recognizing that survival and the future both matter, and that every patient’s priorities deserve respect.
Statements from real people:
“For what I have they use P6 / IE VAC which is a heavy hitting platinum chemo. Males become infertile but I've heard of women who have gotten pregnant and had babies post treatment.”
“I didn’t have time to freeze my eggs like I would’ve liked to prior to chemo. My doctor ordered a Zoladex shot for me after each of my chemo cycles. It’s supposed to shut down your ovaries and protect your eggs. It’s been about 3 years since my chemo, and I’m just now getting my AMH levels tested.”