Skip to Content

Fertility options exercise

This exercise will help you think about what is important to you for each fertility option.

Go through each fertility option and check how important the listed factors are to you
Add in any other factors that are important to you

Making a decision on family planning can be emotionally difficult. Consider filling this out with a member of your healthcare team you trust, with your partner or support persons.

Please note: you can decide on more than one fertility option. You do not have to make your fertility decision after completing this exercise.

Wait and See

I can start my cancer treatment right away

Not important A bit important Somewhat important Very important Extremely important Don't know

I do not need to inject myself with hormones

Not important A bit important Somewhat important Very important Extremely important Don't know

I have other parenthood options available to me after treatment

Not important A bit important Somewhat important Very important Extremely important Don't know

I do not need additional visits to the fertility clinic

Not important A bit important Somewhat important Very important Extremely important Don't know

This process may add to my emotional stress

Not important A bit important Somewhat important Very important Extremely important Don't know

I may be unable to have a natural pregnancy after treatment and may regret not keeping my options open

Not important A bit important Somewhat important Very important Extremely important Don't know

Embryo Freezing

My children will be genetically related to me and the individual who provided sperm

Not important A bit important Somewhat important Very important Extremely important Don't know

If I use sperm from my partner, we both must decide what to do with the embryos

Not important A bit important Somewhat important Very important Extremely important Don't know

I can test my eggs for a BRCA mutation

Not important A bit important Somewhat important Very important Extremely important Don't know

I may regret going through this process if I am able to have a natural pregnancy after treatment

Not important A bit important Somewhat important Very important Extremely important Don't know

Sperm is required to create embryos so I need to have a male partner or use a sperm donor

Not important A bit important Somewhat important Very important Extremely important Don't know

There may be cost to create, freeze, and store embryos

Not important A bit important Somewhat important Very important Extremely important Don't know

My treatment may be delayed 2 or more weeks

Not important A bit important Somewhat important Very important Extremely important Don't know

I see an embryo as a living person. I may find it hard to decide what to do with them if I do not need them after treatment

Not important A bit important Somewhat important Very important Extremely important Don't know

This process may add to my emotional and physical stress

Not important A bit important Somewhat important Very important Extremely important Don't know

I may still not be able to have a child after freezing embryos

Not important A bit important Somewhat important Very important Extremely important Don't know

I will have to travel to the fertility clinic frequently for monitoring and egg collection

Not important A bit important Somewhat important Very important Extremely important Don't know

Egg Freezing

My children will be genetically related to me and the person who provided sperm

Not important A bit important Somewhat important Very important Extremely important Don't know

I can freeze some eggs and some embryos at the same time

Not important A bit important Somewhat important Very important Extremely important Don't know

Sperm is not required at the time of my egg freezing

Not important A bit important Somewhat important Very important Extremely important Don't know

I can test my eggs for a BRCA mutation

Not important A bit important Somewhat important Very important Extremely important Don't know

I may regret freezing my eggs if I am able to have a natural pregnancy after treatment

Not important A bit important Somewhat important Very important Extremely important Don't know

It is not as successful as embryo freezing

Not important A bit important Somewhat important Very important Extremely important Don't know

There may be a cost to remove, freeze and store my eggs

Not important A bit important Somewhat important Very important Extremely important Don't know

My treatment may be delayed 2 or more weeks

Not important A bit important Somewhat important Very important Extremely important Don't know

This process may add to my emotional and physical stress

Not important A bit important Somewhat important Very important Extremely important Don't know

I may still not be able to have a child after freezing my eggs

Not important A bit important Somewhat important Very important Extremely important Don't know

I will have to travel to the fertility clinic frequently for monitoring and egg collection

Not important A bit important Somewhat important Very important Extremely important Don't know

Ovarian Suppression

I can start my cancer treatment right away

Not important A bit important Somewhat important Very important Extremely important Don't know

My children will be genetically related to me

Not important A bit important Somewhat important Very important Extremely important Don't know

I can use it with the other fertility options including embryo and egg freezing

Not important A bit important Somewhat important Very important Extremely important Don't know

I do not need extra visits to the fertility clinic

Not important A bit important Somewhat important Very important Extremely important Don't know

There may be a monthly cost

Not important A bit important Somewhat important Very important Extremely important Don't know

I will go into menopause and may have symptoms

Not important A bit important Somewhat important Very important Extremely important Don't know

I may still not be able to have a child after treatment

Not important A bit important Somewhat important Very important Extremely important Don't know

Research is still ongoing. This option may not work to protect my eggs from chemotherapy

Not important A bit important Somewhat important Very important Extremely important Don't know

General

Which options am I leaning towards? Check all of the below options that you would like more information on.

Wait and see Embryo freezing Egg freezing Ovarian suppression I am not sure yet