[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2025\/12\/cancer-treatment-female-fertility\/#Article","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2025\/12\/cancer-treatment-female-fertility\/","headline":"How Can Cancer Treatment Affect Female Fertility?","name":"How Can Cancer Treatment Affect Female Fertility?","description":"<p>Can chemotherapy make you infertile? Our 2025 guide explains how cancer treatments may affect female fertility and outlines preservation options to consider.<\/p>","datePublished":"2025-12-22","dateModified":"2025-12-19","author":{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/hillman.upmc.com\/","name":"UPMC Hillman Cancer Center","url":"https:\/\/hillman.upmc.com\/","sameAs":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/upmc-hillman-cancer-center\/","parentOrganization":"UPMC"},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"UPMC HealthBeat","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/UPMC-HealthBeat-Logo.png","url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/UPMC-HealthBeat-Logo.png","width":600,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/GettyImages-2149681133-e1766170670433.jpg","url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/GettyImages-2149681133-e1766170670433.jpg","height":866,"width":2000},"url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2025\/12\/cancer-treatment-female-fertility\/","about":["Cancer Care","Health Topics A-Z","Pregnancy and Childbirth"],"wordCount":1965,"articleBody":"When you learn you have cancer, your first concern is getting into cancer treatment. But when you\u2019re in your childbearing years or younger, you also need to consider the effects of cancer treatment on your reproductive organs. You need to consider whether you want to have children in the future.Each type of cancer treatment may affect fertility. Learn about the different kinds of cancer treatments, their effects on female fertility, and how fertility preservation methods can help future families.Ways Cancer Treatments Can Affect FertilityWhen you\u2019re facing cancer treatment, thinking about your future family may seem like a low priority. But your future self will thank you for talking with your cancer care team now about your risk of infertility later.Talk to your doctor about how cancer treatment can affect your fertility. Do this before you start it.How does chemotherapy affect female fertility?Chemotherapy (chemo) works by killing all rapidly dividing cells in your body.Chemo kills most of the cancer cells. But it also kills your oocytes. Oocytes are the cells within your ovaries that make hormones.Your ovaries won\u2019t release eggs or prepare the uterus for pregnancy without these hormones. This may make you infertile.You might also go into early menopause. This may prove temporary or permanent.How does radiation therapy affect female fertility?Radiation therapy can affect fertility if the radiation targets your brain or your reproductive organs.How much radiation affects your fertility depends on:The method of radiation.The total dose given.Your age and developmental stage at the time of treatment.The radiation\u2019s target location can also affect fertility in the:Brain \u2014 Radiation that reaches the brain can affect the pituitary gland. This makes hormones that signal the ovaries to ovulate (release an egg).Ovaries \u2014 Both internal and external radiation therapy that targets the ovaries can damage them enough to affect fertility. High-dose radiation can destroy some or all of the eggs in your ovaries. This can cause early menopause and infertility.Pelvis \u2014 Radiation that reaches the pelvis can cause sudden, early, or premature menopause. You could go through menopause between five and 20 years earlier than expected. This is the case even if your period returns after treatment.Uterus \u2014 Radiation delivered to the uterus can sometimes damage muscles and blood supply. This will limit how much it can expand during pregnancy. The risk of miscarriages, premature births, and low birth weights as a result. This is particularly the case among those who had radiation before puberty.How does cancer surgery affect female fertility?Cancer surgeries on the pelvis or abdomen can affect your ability to conceive a child, including:Adhesions (scarring) \u2014 Prior surgeries can sometimes cause adhesions that block your fallopian tubes, ovaries, or uterus. This prevents fertilization, implantation, or carrying to term.Hysterectomy \u2014 The surgical removal of the uterus (womb) and cervix. You can\u2019t carry a child without a uterus.Oophorectomy \u2014 The surgical removal of one or both ovaries. This may include one or both fallopian tubes as well. Because eggs are in the ovaries, without them, you would no longer make eggs.Trachelectomy \u2014 Surgical removal of the cervix. The cervix is the lower part of the uterus. It meets the upper part of the vagina. It can be used as a fertility-sparing effort to treat certain cancers.Tumor resection (removal) surgery \u2014 Surgical resection of tumors on any of the reproductive organs may affect conception. These organs include the cervix, fallopian tubes, ovaries, uterus, or vagina, or the elimination system. The elimination system includes the anus, bladder, colon, and rectum.How do targeted therapy and immunotherapy affect female fertility?Researchers haven\u2019t conducted enough studies to determine whether targeted therapies and immunotherapies can cause infertility issues. Some related medications have the potential to cause birth defects. More studies are ongoing.Other cancer treatment factors that can affect fertilityOther factors that also might affect your fertility include:Your age and life stage at the time of treatment, such as before or after menstruation or menopause.The type of treatment.The dose or extent of that treatment.Can I get pregnant after having cancer?For most people, having cancer doesn\u2019t interfere with fertility. Instead, the type and extent of cancer treatment can affect their ability to conceive.If you\u2019re thinking of getting pregnant after having cancer treatment, consider a preconception counseling session with your cancer care team before making your pregnancy plan. They may recommend that you wait for at least six months to two years before trying to get pregnant. This will depend on the type of treatment you had.Can I get pregnant during cancer treatment?You shouldn\u2019t get pregnant if you\u2019re currently undergoing cancer treatment because of potential harm to the developing fetus from:Chemotherapy \u2014 It\u2019s important not to get pregnant while undergoing chemotherapy because many chemo medications may cause birth defects and miscarriages. Use an effective form of birth control during chemo if there\u2019s a chance you could become pregnant during treatment. Remember that temporarily missing periods during and after treatment may not mean you\u2019re infertile. Talk to your cancer care team about how long to wait after treatment before trying to conceive.Hormone therapy and immunotherapy \u2014 Because these therapies are newer, less is known about their effects on fertility, pregnancy, or an unborn baby. Some medications may cause birth defects.Radiation \u2014 If the possibility that you\u2019re still fertile remains, talk to your cancer care team about how long to wait before having unprotected sex or trying to conceive.Fertility Preservation Options Before Cancer TreatmentIf you have female reproductive organs, then cancer treatment could affect your ability to have a child. You might qualify for one or more fertility preservation methods.Fertility counseling for young cancer patientsDon\u2019t assume your doctor will ask you about your future plans for a family. Before starting treatment, ask your cancer care team how your treatment might affect your fertility. You should also ask how they can improve your chances of having children in the future.What is female fertility preservation?Female fertility preservation involves freezing eggs, ovarian tissue, or embryos for future use and keeping your reproductive organs safe during cancer treatment.Egg freezingTo freeze your eggs, you go through the same first steps of in vitro fertilization (IVF). This process involves hormone injections and egg retrieval under anesthesia. Specialists freeze and store the unfertilized eggs for future use.When you\u2019re ready for pregnancy, the lab that\u2019s storing your eggs thaws them out and fertilizes them. Doctors then transfer them to your uterus (or the uterus of a gestational carrier). You may receive hormonal support for several months to help maintain the pregnancy.You\u2019re a candidate for egg freezing if you\u2019ve gone through puberty but haven\u2019t reached menopause. You don\u2019t need sperm for egg freezing. The number of eggs frozen depends on your age and ovarian reserve at the time of undergoing the stimulation process.You have a better chance of pregnancy and a live birth if you freeze your eggs at a younger age. In general, younger women have better-quality eggs. Your odds of getting pregnant with stored eggs are most closely tied to how old you were when doctors froze your eggs.Embryo freezingEmbryo freezing is when a laboratory freezes and stores embryos created through IVF. You receive hormone injections, and doctors extract eggs with a needle while you\u2019re under anesthesia. The laboratory combines the eggs with sperm.If an embryo or embryos result, doctors will freeze and store them for future use. You may opt to do genetic testing on the embryos before the doctors freeze them to screen for chromosomal abnormalities. As they do for frozen eggs, specialized facilities store frozen embryos under strict supervision and monitoring.When you\u2019re ready to get pregnant, doctors place the thawed embryo in your uterus or the uterus of a gestational carrier. If the embryo implants in the uterine lining, pregnancy occurs.You\u2019re a candidate for embryo freezing if you\u2019re post-puberty to premenopausal and willing to use your partner\u2019s (or a donor\u2019s) sperm to create an embryo.Embryo freezing has been in use for more than 30 years. Pregnancy rates for frozen embryos range from over 40% for women under 35 to almost 18% for women over 42.Ovarian tissue freezingOvarian tissue freezing is a relatively new treatment. It was an experimental procedure until 2020. Generally, those choosing this method of fertility preservation have an upcoming cancer treatment with a high risk of infertility.Ovarian tissue freezing involves freezing and storing tissue from the cortex of the ovary, or the outer portion. This tissue contains primordial follicles, each of which contains a single immature egg.In ovarian tissue freezing, doctors remove part or all of the ovary. Then they cut the cortex into thin strips and freeze it. Later, doctors thaw the tissue and return it to the body.When the tissue is back in the body, it starts producing hormones and releasing eggs. You can try to become pregnant naturally or through assisted reproduction procedures like IVF.You may undergo procedures such as in vitro maturation (IVM) in the future to mature the small\/immature eggs from within the frozen ovarian tissue in the laboratory so that they can result in embryos for transfer. This process is still in its experimental stage.Oophoropexy (ovarian transposition)Ovarian transposition is another fertility preservation option for people going through cancer treatment. If you\u2019re receiving radiation treatment in your pelvic area, you may find it\u2019s a good way to protect your ovaries.This minimally invasive procedure happens before radiation therapy begins. Doctors separate one or both ovaries and fallopian tubes from the uterus. Then, they attach them to the abdominal wall to reduce the amount of radiation the ovaries receive.Your ovaries may still receive some radiation. Your doctor may recommend that you freeze your eggs before the surgery to improve your odds of having children later.Ovarian suppressionBecause it affects the whole body, chemotherapy for any kind of cancer can hurt the ovaries. It reduces the number and quality of your eggs, making it harder to get pregnant.Ovarian suppression can potentially minimize the destruction of eggs from chemotherapy treatments for cancer.\u00a0The procedure involves using medications called GnRH agonists (leuprolide and goserelin) to keep the ovaries from making the sex hormones estrogen and progesterone.Ovarian suppression is still an experimental technique for fertility preservation. If your doctor recommends this method, you\u2019ll have injections of the GnRH agonist either monthly or every three months. They&#8217;ll start a few weeks before you begin chemotherapy and continue throughout your cancer treatment.Ovarian suppression treatment can cause temporary symptoms of menopause. Your doctor may offer you egg or embryo freezing in addition to ovarian suppression treatments.Emotional Effects of Infertility After CancerLearning that you have cancer is hard enough. Worrying that your cancer treatments might make you infertile can feel overwhelming.The psychological impact of struggling to conceive can feel like a profound sense of loss and cause a significant life crisis. Couples dealing with infertility can experience many emotions, such as anger, sadness, and guilt. They may also suffer from depression and anxiety and have issues with low self-confidence and self-esteem.Talk to your cancer care team if you\u2019re having trouble processing the emotions related to your cancer treatment and fertility issues. Or connect with a support group for others who are also dealing with infertility.SourcesNational Cancer Institute. Female Fertility and Cancer Treatment. Accessed December 2025. https:\/\/www.cancer.gov\/about-cancer\/treatment\/side-effects\/fertility-women. Cancer.govAmerican Psychiatric Association. Infertility: The Impact of Stress and Mental Health. December 2025. https:\/\/www.psychiatry.org\/news-room\/apa-blogs\/infertility-the-impact-of-stress-and-mental-health. Psychiatry.org"},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"2025","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2025\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"12","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2025\/\/12\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"How Can Cancer Treatment Affect Female Fertility?","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2025\/12\/cancer-treatment-female-fertility\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]