Fertility preservation can help you protect the possibility of having biological children in the future. Whether you’re postponing parenthood, facing a medical treatment that may affect your fertility, or simply want more time to make decisions about your family, fertility preservation can help you in keeping more options for your future reproductive plans.
The UHealth fertility preservation team can help you understand your individual potential fertility risks, discuss your options and coordinate care based on your health, age, treatment plan and family-building goals.
Who Should Consider Fertility Preservation?
You may want to talk with our team if you:
- Are preparing for a treatment that may affect your fertility. Chemotherapy, radiation, surgery, and some other medical treatments can damage reproductive function. If you are about to receive a treatment known to affect fertility, preservation before treatment is called iatrogenic fertility preservation.
- Have autoimmune diseases, certain genetic disorders, known cancer mutations, and other diagnoses that may put your future fertility at risk. Some conditions may increase the risk of future fertility problems even when you are not currently receiving a treatment that could harm fertility. Your doctor may recommend fertility preservation to protect your future options. This is called medically indicated fertility preservation.
- Are the parent/caregiver of a child or adolescent receiving treatment that may affect their future fertility. There are fertility preservation options for children and young adults both before and after puberty.
- Want to delay having children for personal reasons, such as focusing on school, career, or finding the right partner. Options may include elective egg, sperm, or embryo freezing. This is called elective or planned fertility preservation.
- Are concerned about age or early menopause. Fertility naturally decreases with age, and some people may choose to freeze eggs or sperm at a younger age to preserve future options.
Fertility preservation is different for everyone. Your plan may depend on your age, stage of reproductive development, diagnosis, treatment plan, overall health, and personal goals. A consultation can help you understand your potential fertility risks and available choices.
What Are the Options for Fertility Preservation?
Egg freezing
Also known as oocyte cryopreservation, egg freezing is a process where eggs are collected from the ovaries and frozen for possible future use. This treatment is used for girls and women who have gone through puberty and have about two weeks of time available to complete the treatment.
Embryo freezing
Also known as embryo cryopreservation, embryo freezing is a process where eggs are collected, fertilized with sperm and the resulting embryos are then frozen for possible future use.
Sperm freezing
Also called sperm banking or sperm cryopreservation, this is a process where sperm is collected and frozen for possible future use. This treatment is available for both boys and men who have gone through puberty. If there are difficulties with ejaculation, sperm can be obtained with other methods.
Ovarian tissue freezing
Also called ovarian tissue cryopreservation, this is a process where an ovary or a portion of ovarian tissue containing immature eggs is surgically removed and frozen for possible future use. This treatment is mostly for girls who have not gone through puberty yet, or for patients who do not have enough time before treatment start and therefore cannot do egg freezing.
Ovarian transposition
Also called oophoropexy or ovary relocation surgery, ovarian transposition is a surgical procedure that moves the ovaries out of the radiation field during pelvic radiation therapy. This treatment is for women getting radiation to their midsection in their medical treatment.
How Much Does Fertility Preservation Cost?
The cost of fertility preservation can vary depending on which treatment is selected. Most insurance plans do not cover fertility preservation treatments, but some may. You can check with your insurance provider to understand your benefits, or once you have scheduled an appointment with our clinic, we can verify your fertility benefits in detail. If your insurance does not cover treatment, you may qualify for some financial resources. Our team will help guide you through the process of eligibility and applications to discounts and grants. Cost varies based on the services provided and long term cryopreservation storage is billed separately from UHealth’s services.
We offer cost-effective treatments and make the process as affordable as possible with our competitive pricing and financing options. We understand how important this care is to you, and we’re here to support you.
When Should I Consider Fertility Preservation?
Making decisions about future family planning can be one of your most important health considerations. Whether you’re undergoing medical treatment or navigating personal goals, you want to have the best options possible when you’re ready to start your family.
If you are preparing for a medical treatment that may affect fertility, it is best to discuss fertility preservation before treatment begins. Some fertility preservation options can be completed quickly and may not require waiting for a particular point in the menstrual cycle. However, if you have already started your medical treatment, there are still options available for you. Men can still complete sperm banking and women can protect their ovaries with medications, although these are less effective than completing preservation prior to starting medical treatment.
For people considering elective fertility preservation, there is generally more flexibility in timing, but age can affect the number and quality of eggs or sperm that can be preserved.
Fertility preservation can help empower your decision-making and put you in greater control of your choices. We can help you understand your fertility risk and available options. Count on our caring and skilled fertility specialists to help you navigate your journey.
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Why Choose UHealth?
A comprehensive approach to fertility. Our closely-knit team of experienced professionals – including female and male fertility specialists, acupuncturists, and physicians with special expertise in polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), thyroid disorders, endometriosis, and hormonal imbalances – work together to ensure the health of you and your baby.
High pregnancy rates. We have some of the highest pregnancy rates in not only South Florida, but in the entire United States. Our success stories include even the most challenging cases.
Academic medical center expertise. Faculty members at the Miller School of Medicine, a nationally recognized institution, currently conduct nearly 2,000 research projects in science and clinical care in a variety of fields. Our emphasis on research and innovation ensures you receive the most sophisticated diagnostic tests and advanced fertility treatments available.
Affordable fertility care. We offer cost-effective treatments and make the process as affordable as possible with our competitive pricing, view our financing options. Our center prides itself on integrity and we are dedicated to providing a transparent process. Your treatment options are clearly outlined and presented to you at the time of consultation. We provide financial consultations and will show you how our plans differ from what other centers in our area offer. We are committed to making sure you know what to expect upfront. We offer financing through Lending Club Patient Solutions. In addition, we do not bundle price for our in-vitro fertilization (IVF) cycles, which means if you get pregnant within one cycle, you will only be charged for that one cycle. If pregnancy does not occur in the first cycle, we provide discounts for second and third IVF cycles.
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