Medical, ethical, and legal considerations in fertility preservation

Int J Gynaecol Obstet. 2011 Oct;115(1):11-5. doi: 10.1016/j.ijgo.2011.05.011. Epub 2011 Jul 20.

Abstract

The past 2 decades have seen a significant rise in cancer survival rates, and an increasing proportion of survivors at reproductive age are interested in childbearing. Although assisted reproduction provides physicians with an array of potential possibilities to help patients whose fertility is compromised by cancer treatment, there is still a dearth of regulation regarding the application of this technology. The present paper reviews the current options for fertility preservation, with a particular focus on the legal and ethical challenges that confront providers of this type of care.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Cryopreservation / ethics
  • Cryopreservation / methods*
  • Female
  • Fertility Preservation / ethics
  • Fertility Preservation / legislation & jurisprudence
  • Fertility Preservation / methods*
  • Humans
  • Infertility, Female / etiology
  • Infertility, Male / etiology
  • Male
  • Neoplasms / therapy*
  • Survivors