Chemo has greater impact on male fertility

The researchers also noted that, although the total number of CCSs in this study is large, the number of patients who were exposed to individual drugs varied significantly. So while the overall conclusions of the study are consistent with previous studies, more research is needed to estimate the exact risk of some less commonly used drugs.

“We think these results will be encouraging for most women who were treated with chemotherapy in childhood,” Dr Chow said. “However, I think we, as pediatric oncologists, still need to do a better job discussing fertility and fertility preservation options with patients and families upfront before starting cancer treatment.”

“In particular, all boys diagnosed post-puberty should be encouraged to bank their sperm to maximize their reproductive options in the future. The current options for post-pubertal girls remain more complicated but include oocyte and embryo cryopreservation.”