If you have just been diagnosed with cervical cancer, you may be anxious that this means you will no longer be able to have children. This is not necessarily the case and there are options available to try and help you keep the ability to have a child of your own. Whilst we can offer you some hope, it is important to realise that some of these techniques are experimental and there is no guarantee of success. There are also other difficulties such as the fact that you may have to pay for some or all of your treatment, which may be expensive.
The choices available to you will depend on the extent of cancer, the type of treatment you have, your age and your personal circumstances. You can always discuss the options with your doctor or your clinical nurse specialist. If you wish to pursue things further, we will be happy to refer you to the Reproductive Medicine Unit to see a fertility expert.
Assisted conception after treatment for cervical cancer can include any of the following:
Laparoscopic ovarian transposition - using keyhole surgery the ovaries are detached from their normal position beside the womb and moved up higher so that the radiotherapy rays cannot reach them
Egg/embryo freezing - using fertility drugs the ovaries are stimulated to generate eggs, the eggs are then collected and frozen.
Surrogacy
For further information on fertility preservation please download this leaflet.
