Yes, and it is strongly encouraged for all cancer patients of reproductive age. Fertility preservation before cancer treatment, known as oncofertility, is one of the most time-sensitive but entirely feasible clinical priorities. Egg freezing can typically begin within days of a cancer diagnosis, and sperm freezing can be completed within a single appointment. At Galwa Care Hospital, our oncofertility team works urgently to initiate preservation before treatment starts wherever possible, coordinating closely with the oncology team to ensure the preservation cycle fits within the available treatment window without compromising cancer management.

Egg freezing stores unfertilized eggs that can be fertilized with sperm at a later date when the patient is ready to conceive. Embryo freezing stores eggs that have already been fertilized with sperm through IVF or ICSI. Embryo freezing requires a partner or donor sperm at the time of preservation and generally offers slightly higher post-thaw survival rates because the embryo is more resilient than an unfertilized egg. For women without a current partner who want to keep their options open, egg freezing is the most appropriate choice. For couples undergoing IVF, embryo freezing of surplus high-quality blastocysts is the most effective and reliable preservation strategy.

Cryopreserved reproductive material can be stored safely for many years, in some cases decades, without significant loss of quality or fertilizing potential. Biological activity is essentially halted at storage temperatures of minus 196 degrees Celsius, meaning the material does not age or deteriorate during the storage period. Research has confirmed successful pregnancies using eggs frozen for over 10 years and sperm stored for over 20 years, with no meaningful reduction in developmental potential. At Galwa Care Hospital, our cryobank facility maintains continuous monitoring, strict safety protocols, and regular maintenance of all storage systems to ensure the integrity of every patient's preserved material throughout their chosen storage period.

No, fertility preservation has no negative impact on future natural fertility. Egg freezing uses eggs that would naturally have been lost in that menstrual cycle as part of normal follicular atresia, and sperm freezing is entirely non-invasive. Neither procedure affects the remaining egg supply, hormonal function, or the capacity for natural conception in future cycles. Fertility preservation is widely considered safe when performed by experienced specialists. Babies born from frozen eggs and embryos have demonstrated no increased risk of birth defects or developmental complications compared to naturally conceived children, confirming the excellent long-term safety profile of vitrification technology when applied by a skilled and experienced fertility preservation team.