Creating A Standard of Care for Fertility Preservation

Abstract

Fertility preservation options for women are currently only routinely offered to patients who face iatrogenic fertility loss, and most options are considered experimental. The most common modalities for female fertility preservation are embryo cryopreservation, oocyte cryopreservation, and ovarian tissue cryopreservation, the later two of which remain in the experimental arena. Natural fertility loss is affecting women as significantly as premature fertility loss. Increasing cancer survival and the modern reproductive trend of delaying childbearing are indications for the need and demand for fertility preservation. Advances in the field are necessary to respond to this demand and include superior cryopreservation techniques and fertility preservation technologies, customized guidelines, comprehensive care plans, and availability of more cost-efficient procedures. The obstacles to creating a standard of care for fertility preservation are as broad as the field itself. Lack of patient awareness, limited physician experience and knowledge, inadequate counseling, costs, and ethical issues are some examples of the many challenges to establishing a standard of care. With continued research and multidisciplinary collaboration, a higher quality of care may be provided to a larger patient population who wishes to maximize their fertility potential in the future. Keywords: Fertility preservation, standard of care, treatment options, challenges, assisted reproductive technology (ART), patient expectations