Fertility preservation

Medical freezing

Cancer can strike unexpectedly and turn the lives of many young people upside down even before they have a chance to start a family. While successful treatment is always the primary goal of doctors, it is also important not to forget about the future and quality of life after overcoming this disease.

Medical freezing is a way to preserve the hope of having your own biological child even after completing oncological treatment. In the case of oncological diagnoses in men and breast cancer or lymphoma diagnoses in women, medical freezing is covered by public health insurance.

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Impact of oncological treatment on fertility

Cancer treatment, such as chemotherapy, radiation, or surgical procedures, can have a significant impact on your fertility. In women, ovarian damage and premature ovarian failure or loss of cycle may occur; in men, damage to sperm-producing cells in the testicles may lead to a significant reduction or complete cessation of sperm production. Some types of chemotherapy have particularly toxic effects on reproductive cells, which can lead to a permanent loss of the ability to conceive. In some cases, reproductive functions gradually return, but medical freezing is an insurance for your future.

When to act?

The decision regarding fertility preservation should be made as soon as possible after diagnosis and before the start of treatment. While the entire process is relatively quick for men, egg retrieval for women must be preceded by hormonal stimulation. We recommend that you always consult your oncologist, who will assess the timeframe and suitability of the intervention. Treatment at the assisted reproduction center begins almost immediately, and egg retrieval is performed as soon as possible to allow oncological intervention to start without delay.

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Is hormonal stimulation safe in oncological disease?

Yes, in most cases, hormonal stimulation before egg retrieval is safe even with an oncological diagnosis, if properly timed and coordinated with treatment. Hormonal stimulation is performed short-term, usually for 10–12 days, and specifically increases hormone levels to mature multiple eggs simultaneously. For patients with hormone-sensitive tumors (e.g., breast cancer), special protocols are used with supplements that prevent excessive estrogen increases. The entire process takes place under the supervision of an oncologist and a reproductive specialist, who jointly decide on the most appropriate course of action.

Medical freezing procedure

The procedure for fertility preservation – freezing of reproductive cells – differs significantly between men and women.

Following an oncologist’s recommendation, our doctors will perform the necessary examinations to assess reproductive health, such as blood tests and ultrasound examinations. Based on these, they can set up appropriate hormonal ovarian stimulation, which precedes egg retrieval.

Typically, a stimulation protocol is chosen that allows treatment to begin at any time during the cycle. Egg retrieval is usually performed 10-12 days after the start of stimulation. If time permits, two stimulations can be performed consecutively, meaning two hormonal stimulations and two egg retrievals are carried out within one menstrual cycle (DUO STIM).

Sperm retrieval and freezing is significantly simpler and does not require extensive preparation, so direct cooperation between the oncologist and our specialists is not necessary. However, it is essential to bring medical documentation related to the oncological disease and also to have the results of blood tests for sexually transmitted diseases. We can also perform this test directly at our clinic.

Ejaculate collection takes place directly at the clinic in a special collection room providing a high level of comfort and privacy. After collection, our andrology laboratory technicians evaluate the spermogram parameters, and the sample is frozen. If the spermogram parameters are significantly deteriorated, the decision to freeze the sample is discussed directly with the patient.

The cost of cell preservation for the first year is included in the procedure itself. After this period, a standard annual fee is charged for storing frozen cells in the cryobank – 160 €. After successful recovery from oncological disease, if you need and are interested in using these preserved cells, simply contact us. For frozen eggs, IVF methods must be used, while for sperm, insemination (IUI) can also be considered, although it has a lower probability of success compared to IVF.

Medical freezing covered by insurance

For medical freezing to be covered by health insurance, it is necessary to meet the specified indication criteria. While for women, health insurance companies have set as indications breast carcinoma, Hodgkin’s and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, for men, freezing is not covered by health insurance, but is carried out at the expense of our center.