Okayama University Hospital's Reproduct Center and the Graduate School of Health Sciences are collecting information on preserving reproductive function and fertility (*1) by cryopreserving sperm, eggs, ovaries, etc. for cancer patients to have children in the future. developed a guide for medical staff.
According to Okayama University, in addition to compiling the basic knowledge necessary for medical staff to explain fertility preservation to cancer patients, it also provides a list of available consultation services and a specialist for patients who wish to preserve fertility. A flow chart to introduce the facility was posted.
In addition, it explains the support for patients who wished to preserve fertility but were unable to have children, and patients who did not wish to preserve fertility but still wish to have children.
Chemotherapy and radiation therapy for cancer can reduce a person's ability to have children in the future.With advances in medicine, the number of cancer survivors who wish to have children afterward has increased, making cryopreservation of sperm, eggs, and ovaries increasingly important.
Some of these methods are expensive, and Okayama Prefecture subsidizes part of the cost. In some cases, it was not possible to provide sufficient explanations to patients.
*1 Fertility refers to the ability to conceive, and is related to both men and women, including not only sperm and eggs, but also sexual function, reproductive organs, and endocrine functions.
