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Embryo and Oocyte Banking

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Oncofertility Medical Practice

Abstract

For women of reproductive age who are scheduled to undergo medical treatment that could lead to premature decline of ovarian function, embryo and oocyte cryopreservation—or “banking”—are the most commonly used fertility preservation options. Embryo cryopreservation (i.e., standard in vitro fertilization) before chemotherapy is the most well-established and widely available method of fertility preservation. Both embryo and oocyte banking require controlled ovarian hyperstimulation and oocyte retrieval over a period of approximately 12–14 days; thus, these techniques are only appropriate if chemotherapy can be postponed without compromising the patient’s treatment outcomes. Classic and modified controlled ovarian hyperstimulation protocols are described as well as the costs, success rates, and potential risks of the procedures, such as ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome and intra-abdominal bleeding, which must be weighed in the context of the cancer patient’s overall health status. The methods of oocyte cryopreservation currently in use slow freezing and vitrification, and the success rates of each are also discussed. This chapter concludes with a review of tumor-specific considerations for the use of embryo or oocyte banking for patients with breast cancer, ovarian cancer, hematologic malignancies, endometrial cancer, and cervical cancer.

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Acknowledgment

This work was supported by the Oncofertility Consortium NIH/NICHD 5UL1DE019587.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Obstetrics and Gynecology, Stanford University School of Medicine, 900 Welch Road, Suite 20, Palo Alto, Stanford, CA, 94304, USA

    Lynn M. Westphal M.D.

  2. Obstetrics and Gynecology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA

    Jamie A. M. Massie M.D.

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  1. Lynn M. Westphal M.D.
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  2. Jamie A. M. Massie M.D.
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Correspondence to Lynn M. Westphal M.D. .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Perelman School of Medicine, Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Pennsylvania, Market St 3701, Philadelphia, 19104, Pennsylvania, USA

    Clarisa Gracia

  2. Northwestern University, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Feinberg School of Medicine, E Superior St 303, Chicago, 60611-3015, Illinois, USA

    Teresa K Woodruff

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© 2012 Springer Science+Business Media New York

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Westphal, L.M., Massie, J.A.M. (2012). Embryo and Oocyte Banking. In: Gracia, C., Woodruff, T. (eds) Oncofertility Medical Practice. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-9425-7_4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-9425-7_4

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  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4419-9424-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4419-9425-7

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