feature Teirney. ‘I reg

feature Teirney. ‘I regularly see patients with cancer to help them continue or begin their fertility journey once their treatment is complete and they are in remission. ‘Women are sent to us for urgent egg retrieval and we can then harvest and freeze their eggs, which at a later date we can inseminate with their partner’s sperm and create a beautiful healthy baby.’ According to Dr Teirney, there are typically two options available: 1. Egg freezing ‘We often do this for single women who are about to undergo chemotherapy for cancer, which can send them into menopause,’ she explains. ‘It gives them peace of mind that they may be able to have a healthy, happy family later in life, either with donor sperm, or a future partner. ‘If a woman is diagnosed with cancer, their oncologist can refer them for this procedure typically within 24 to 48 hours. IVF Australia has methods in place to fast-track such cases, as we understand just how stressful these situations can be. We also have minimised your out-ofpocket costs for your fertility preservation treatment, which can be discussed in more detail during your appointment.’ 2. Embryo Freezing ‘We look at this for couples,’ explains Dr Teirney. ‘We look at having an urgent IVF cycle and creating embryos that we then freeze for couples to implant at a later date. The uterus is normally unaffected by most cancer treatments and to implant an embryo, we administer hormones to maintain a healthy pregnancy, teamed with regular checkups and the correct pregnancy vitamins.’ While every case is an individual one, the younger the woman and her eggs, the better the chances are of a pregnancy and healthy baby. Dr Teirney estimates that: • For a woman aged 35 or under, one stimulated IVF cycle would result in the collection of 10 to 12 eggs, of which between seven and nine would be suitable for vitrification and storage; ‘ Jess and Travers regularly campaign to raise funds and awareness for cancer research. IVF Australia has methods in place to fast-track such cases, as we understand just how stressful these situations can be. ’

Dr Raewyn Teirney and one of her specialised fertility nurses.s. Dr Raewyn Teirney • Approximately 80-90% of eggs would survive warming in the future; • Approximately 50-80% of surviving eggs would fertilise; • Approximately 80-90% of fertilised eggs would develop into embryos; and • A single embryo would have a 20-35% chance of developing into a pregnancy. (Source: IVF Australia) ‘So, we see that medically, many women who have been diagnosed with cancer are able to achieve their dreams of conceiving, enjoying a healthy pregnancy and becoming a mother,’ says Dr Teirney. Often there are only a few days between diagnosis and beginning treatment, explains Professor Bill Ledger who heads up the Fertility Research Centre at the Royal Hospital for Women in Sydney. ‘It is something the oncologists want to do quickly for obvious reasons. If the cancer is aggressive, they might not have much time. ‘The likelihood of these women achieving their dreams of having a family is generally quite good,’ says Professor Ledger. ‘If we can freeze five or six embryos, or 12 eggs from someone under 35, then her chance of having at least one child is better than fifty-fifty. You can never guarantee, of course. Things can go wrong – eggs don’t always fertilise, embryos don’t always implant, but if we get a reasonable number in the bank and she is younger, then it is a better chance. If a woman is 40 or over then of course the chances aren’t as high.’ Pre-teens and pre-pubescent girls But what of girls who haven’t yet reached puberty? What are their options? Australian-led technology is proving to pave the way globally for such patients, by freezing ovarian tissue from pre-pubescent girls with the plan to graft it once cancer treatment is completed and when fertility is required. Melbourne fertility specialist, Dr Kate Stern, is leading the advancements in this area and, to date, her group has taken tissue from over 400 women and young girls facing infertility as a result of their cancer treatment. ‘We have been storing ovarian tissue for 20 years now,’ she says. ‘Obviously, in the early days, we weren’t as confident of success, but in the last few years there has been enormous progress in research. Our first birth – twins – was in 2014. We have now put tissue back into around 26 patients and have had five babies. We have only been storing tissue taken from young girls for a few years, in collaboration with the team at the Royal Children’s Hospital. We have not yet had any requests to graft tissue into women who were children at the time of their cancer treatment. These patients have not yet reached an age where they are ready to become parents, however we are optimistic that the technology will be very successful’. We now get referrals to help preserve fertility for children and young women, especially those with breast cancer, which is one of the commonest cancers in women of reproductive age. For these women with breast cancer, we mainly still do egg freezing. However there have been some women who have not had enough time, so we have taken ovarian tissue. For some women we do both. ‘We also currently have a grant with the Sony Foundation which, for young patients aged between 13 and 30, covers the cost of transport and processing, allowing young people now the opportunity for best practice fertility preservation, even if they live a long way away from a major city. This is such an exciting opportunity to expand access to care for all young people who need our specialised services.’ www.cosbeauty.com.au 119