Answer:

Common breast cancer treatments can affect a woman's fertility. Hormone therapy can impact the menstrual cycle, leading to menstrual irregularities, amenorrhea, and ovarian insufficiency. In cases requiring chemotherapy, especially when breast cancer is advanced and has invaded multiple organs, the use of high-dose systemic drugs increases the risk of ovarian impact, causing damage to egg cells, premature ovarian failure, and infertility. Hormone therapy and chemotherapy can be toxic to eggs, posing a risk of birth defects; therefore, patients should avoid pregnancy during treatment.

Age plays a significant role in the future fertility of breast cancer patients. For women who already have reduced ovarian reserve, the side effects of treatments can further severely diminish fertility.

In some cases, hormone therapy can last up to five years, leading to a severe reduction or depletion of ovarian reserve after treatment. If metastatic breast cancer requires complete surgical removal of the ovaries, the patient will no longer be able to conceive using her own eggs. In such situations, if a patient wishes to have children, the only option is to use donor eggs for in vitro fertilization (IVF).

You should consider freezing your eggs before breast cancer treatment to preserve your ability to have children in the future. Egg freezing is a method of cryopreserving mature egg cells. This technique allows you to proactively choose the timing of pregnancy and childbirth without being affected by the risk of reduced ovarian reserve due to age or health conditions that impair reproductive health, including breast cancer.

The Center for Reproductive Assistance, Tam Anh General Hospital Ho Chi Minh City (IVF Tam Anh Ho Chi Minh City), applies vitrification technology for egg freezing. This method uses ultra-low temperatures (liquid nitrogen at -196 degrees C) to rapidly freeze eggs, preventing ice crystal formation, protecting the structure of egg cells, and improving the survival rate of eggs after thawing compared to traditional slow-freezing methods.

An embryologist performs egg freezing at IVF Tam Anh Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Hospital provided

Eggs can be preserved for an unlimited time. After breast cancer treatment, when your health is stable and you wish to have children, the eggs will be thawed and fertilized in vitro with sperm. Embryos are cultured in an incubator system integrated with artificial intelligence (AI) software, and embryologists jointly score embryo quality. Doctors will select one good quality embryo for transfer into the uterus to help you achieve pregnancy and give birth to a healthy child.

Master of Science, Doctor Nguyen Thi Thuy

Center for Reproductive Assistance

Tam Anh General Hospital Ho Chi Minh City