In re: the disposition of frozen embryos: 2022.

Debates regarding reproductive rights have waxed and waned since the early twentieth century. The current front-and-center debate draws this discussion into tighter focus. Challenges to reproductive rights, changes in definitions of personhood and a pending decision regarding Roe v Wade could change the management and options regarding the disposition of frozen embryos. This commentary outlines how changes in abortion law and reproductive rights could potentially impact the options available to both patients and clinics.

The ART of cryopreservation and its changing landscape.

The purpose of this review is to educate the reader on the role that cryopreservation has played and continues to play in the ever-evolving field of assisted reproductive technologies, specifically in clinical human fertility treatment. We discuss the science behind the cryopreservation methods and investigated some of the major considerations that any clinic or cryobank faces in terms of risks and liabilities, physical challenges that accompany the constantly growing collection of cryopreserved specimens, and what this means on the ethical and legal front. Finally, we take a glimpse in the future to explore what may be on the horizon for the preservation of gametes and reproductive tissues.

Oocyte vitrification for fertility preservation for both medical and nonmedical reasons.

Growing evidence of successful outcomes achieved with the oocyte vitrification technique has greatly contributed to its application in the field of fertility preservation (FP). The population that can benefit from FP includes women at a risk of losing their ovarian function because of either iatrogenic causes or natural depletion of their ovarian reserve. Therefore, oncological patients and healthy women who wish to delay motherhood for various reasons-elective FP-are currently being offered this option. Satisfactory oocyte survival rates and clinical outcomes, including cumulative live birth rates, have been reported in recent years. These studies show that age at oocyte retrieval strongly affects reproductive prognosis after FP. Therefore, elective FP patients should be encouraged to decide before they reach the age of 35 years to significantly increase their chances of success. The effect of age has also been observed in patients with cancer and women diagnosed with endometriosis. The reproductive outcome after FP is worse in patients with cancer, but a direct association between the disease and reproductive outcome is yet to be proven. Young patients (≤35 years) with endometriosis who have undergone cystectomy before oocyte retrieval for FP have worse outcomes than nonoperated women in age-matched groups. In addition, the number of oocytes used per patient is closely related to success in all populations, with considerable improvement in the result with the addition of a few oocytes, especially in healthy young patients.

Transplantation of cryopreserved ovarian tissue in a series of 285 women: a review of five leading European centers.

The feasibility of freezing and thawing ovarian tissue is nowadays widely documented. However, ovarian tissue transplantation (OTT) is happening at a much slower pace, and clinical experience is somewhat limited. In this review, five European centers present their collective experience of transplanting ovarian tissue in 285 women. The focus is on surgical techniques and OTT outcomes, reproductive outcomes, the impact of chemotherapy before ovarian tissue cryopreservation (OTC), the risk of relapse, and endocrine resumption and longevity of transplanted tissue. The risk of relapse due to reimplantation of ovarian tissue appears to be very low according to current data. Recovery of endocrine function is seen in almost all women undergoing transplantation of ovarian tissue, and about one in four gives birth to a healthy child. The efficacy of in vitro fertilization in these patients is not very high, however, and needs to be substantially improved. Radiation to the pelvis, especially with relatively high doses, appears to considerably decrease the likelihood of a successful pregnancy and may be contraindicated. Our results demonstrate that chemotherapy before OTC does not impair the chances of success, depending, of course, on the total dose and type of chemotherapy administered. At this early stage of development of OTT for restoration of fertility, the results are encouraging and demonstrate clear potential. However, the method is far from being fully developed and requires continued research efforts to optimize our approach.

Fertility preservation in men: a contemporary overview and a look toward emerging technologies.

Cancer and oncologic therapies can have significant adverse effects on male reproductive potential, leaving many men permanently infertile. Fertility preservation has emerged as a key survivorship issue over the past 20 years, and numerous professional societies have published guidelines calling for fertility preservation to become a routine component of oncologic care. Most males with cancer are able to produce a semen specimen for fertility preservation, but numerous other methods of sperm procurement are available for patients who cannot provide a sufficient sample. Despite these options, fertility preservation will remain a challenge for prepubertal boys and men without sperm production. For these patients, experimental and investigational approaches offer the hope that one day they will translate to the clinical arena, offering additional pathways for successful fertility preservation care.

Fertility preservation in men and women: Where are we in 2021? Are we rising to the challenge?

Demand for fertility preservation in women for oncologic, nononcologic, and personal reasons has increased dramatically. Meeting that demand is a major challenge, and we are rising to the challenge. Mature oocyte cryopreservation after ovarian stimulation and ovarian tissue cryopreservation are both methods endorsed by the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (formerly The American Fertility Society), and numerous papers confirmed their efficacy. In girls and women with leukemia or cancers who are at a high risk of ovarian metastasis and who may not be eligible for ovarian tissue transplantation, restoration of fertility can only be achieved by in vitro methods. Male fertility preservation has also become a pressing issue and is extensively reviewed in the present journal issue.

Access to fertility services by transgender and nonbinary persons: an Ethics Committee opinion.

This statement explores the ethical considerations surrounding the provision of fertility services to transgender individuals and concludes that the denial of access to fertility services is not justified.

The Adolescent and Young Adult (AYA) Horizon Study: An AYA Cancer Survivorship Cohort.

BACKGROUND: In the United States, >45,000 adolescent and young adult (AYA) women are diagnosed with cancer annually. Reproductive issues are critically important to AYA cancer survivors, but insufficient information is available to address their concerns. The AYA Horizon Study was initiated to contribute high-quality, contemporary evidence on reproductive outcomes for female cancer survivors in the United States. METHODS: The study cohort includes women diagnosed with lymphoma, breast, melanoma, thyroid, or gynecologic cancer (the five most common cancers among women ages 15-39 years) at three study sites: the state of North Carolina and the Kaiser Permanente health systems in Northern and Southern California. Detailed information on cancer treatment, fertility procedures, and pregnancy (e.g., miscarriage, live birth) and birth (e.g., birth weight, gestational length) outcomes are leveraged from state cancer registries, health system databases and administrative insurance claims, national data on assisted reproductive technology procedures, vital records, and survey data. RESULTS: We identified a cohort of 11,072 female AYA cancer survivors that includes >1,200 African American women, >1,400 Asian women, >1,600 Medicaid enrollees, and >2,500 Hispanic women using existing data sources. Active response to the survey component was low overall (N = 1,679), and notably lower among minority groups compared with non-Hispanic white women. CONCLUSIONS: Passive data collection through linkage reduces participant burden and prevents systematic cohort attrition or potential selection biases that can occur with active participation requirements. IMPACT: The AYA Horizon study will inform survivorship planning as fertility and parenthood gain increasing recognition as key aspects of high-quality cancer care.

THERAPY OF ENDOCRINE DISEASE: Novel protection and treatment strategies for chemotherapy-associated ovarian damage.

Fertility and ovarian protection against chemotherapy-associated ovarian damage has formed a new field called oncofertility, which is driven by the pursuit of fertility protection as well as good life quality for numerous female cancer survivors. However, the choice of fertility and ovarian protection method is a difficult problem during chemotherapy and there is no uniform guideline at present. To alleviate ovarian toxicity caused by anticancer drugs, effective methods combined with an individualized treatment plan that integrates an optimal strategy for preserving and restoring reproductive function should be offered from well-established to experimental stages before, during, and after chemotherapy. Although embryo, oocyte, and ovarian tissue cryopreservation are the major methods that have been proven effective and feasible for fertility protection, they are also subject to many limitations. Therefore, this paper mainly discusses the future potential methods and corresponding mechanisms for fertility protection in chemotherapy-associated ovarian damage.

Fertility preservation for female patients with childhood, adolescent, and young adult cancer: recommendations from the PanCareLIFE Consortium and the International Late Effects of Childhood Cancer Guideline Harmonization Group.

Female patients with childhood, adolescent, and young adult cancer are at increased risk for fertility impairment when treatment adversely affects the function of reproductive organs. Patients and their families desire biological children but substantial variations in clinical practice guidelines reduce consistent and timely implementation of effective interventions for fertility preservation across institutions. As part of the PanCareLIFE Consortium, and in collaboration with the International Late Effects of Childhood Cancer Guideline Harmonization Group, we reviewed the current literature and developed a clinical practice guideline for fertility preservation in female patients who were diagnosed with childhood, adolescent, and young adult cancer at age 25 years or younger, including guidance on risk assessment and available methods for fertility preservation. The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation methodology was used to grade the available evidence and to form the recommendations. This clinical practice guideline leverages existing evidence and international expertise to develop transparent recommendations that are easy to use to facilitate the care of female patients with childhood, adolescent, and young adult cancer who are at high risk for fertility impairment. A complete review of the existing evidence, including a quality assessment, transparent reporting of the guideline panel's decisions, and achievement of global interdisciplinary consensus, is an important result of this intensive collaboration.

Fertility preservation for male patients with childhood, adolescent, and young adult cancer: recommendations from the PanCareLIFE Consortium and the International Late Effects of Childhood Cancer Guideline Harmonization Group.

Male patients with childhood, adolescent, and young adult cancer are at an increased risk for infertility if their treatment adversely affects reproductive organ function. Future fertility is a primary concern of patients and their families. Variations in clinical practice are barriers to the timely implementation of interventions that preserve fertility. As part of the PanCareLIFE Consortium, in collaboration with the International Late Effects of Childhood Cancer Guideline Harmonization Group, we reviewed the current literature and developed a clinical practice guideline for fertility preservation in male patients who are diagnosed with childhood, adolescent, and young adult cancer at age 25 years or younger, including guidance on risk assessment and available methods for fertility preservation. The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation methodology was used to grade the available evidence and to form the recommendations. Recognising the need for global consensus, this clinical practice guideline used existing evidence and international expertise to rigorously develop transparent recommendations that are easy to use to facilitate the care of male patients with childhood, adolescent, and young adult cancer who are at high risk of fertility impairment and to enhance their quality of life.

Communication and ethical considerations for fertility preservation for patients with childhood, adolescent, and young adult cancer: recommendations from the PanCareLIFE Consortium and the International Late Effects of Childhood Cancer Guideline Harmonization Group.

Patients with childhood, adolescent, and young adult cancer who will be treated with gonadotoxic therapies are at increased risk for infertility. Many patients and their families desire biological children but effective communication about treatment-related infertility risk and procedures for fertility preservation does not always happen. The PanCareLIFE Consortium and the International Late Effects of Childhood Cancer Guideline Harmonization Group reviewed the literature and developed a clinical practice guideline that provides recommendations for ongoing communication methods for fertility preservation for patients who were diagnosed with childhood, adolescent, and young adult cancer at age 25 years or younger and their families. Moreover, the guideline panel formulated considerations of the ethical implications that are associated with these procedures. Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation methodology was used to grade the evidence and recommendations. In this clinical practice guideline, existing evidence and international expertise are combined to develop transparent recommendations that are easy to use to facilitate ongoing communication between health-care providers and patients with childhood, adolescent, and young adult cancer who might be at high risk for fertility impairment and their families.

Psychosocial determinants of women's intentions and willingness to freeze their eggs.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the psychosocial factors that influence Australian women's intentions to freeze their eggs. DESIGN: Initially, a qualitative elicitation study followed by a larger-scale quantitative study. SETTING: Both studies were conducted online. PATIENTS: A total of 234 Australian women 25-43 years of age, who identifed as heterosexual, had no children, were open to the idea of having children, were currently not pregnant, and did not have a diagnosis of medical infertility. INTERVENTION: None. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Intentions and willingness of women to freeze their eggs. RESULT(S): Hierarchical multiple regression analyses showed that after accounting for demographic variables, there was strong support for the psychosocial predictors of attitude, pressure from others, and control perceptions as predictors of women's intentions to freeze their eggs. Of the additional variables, cognitive bias (influence of the media) was significant, and the final model accounted for 52.7% of variance in women's intentions to freeze their eggs. CONCLUSION(S): This study was the first to predict women's intentions to freeze their eggs using a well-established decision-making model, the theory of planned behavior. Messages designed to develop a positive attitude toward egg freezing, and to encourage an increased perception of personal control of the egg freezing process, as well as approval from others, could support women to investigate egg freezing, in consultation with appropriate medical advice, as an option when faced with possible future infertility. Effective strategies broaden fertility options for women faced with age-related fertility decline, maximize women's chances of a successful pregnancy, and, critically, prevent the often substantial psychological distress associated with involuntary childlessness.

A View from the past into our collective future: the oncofertility consortium vision statement.

PURPOSE: Today, male and female adult and pediatric cancer patients, individuals transitioning between gender identities, and other individuals facing health extending but fertility limiting treatments can look forward to a fertile future. This is, in part, due to the work of members associated with the Oncofertility Consortium. METHODS: The Oncofertility Consortium is an international, interdisciplinary initiative originally designed to explore the urgent unmet need associated with the reproductive future of cancer survivors. As the strategies for fertility management were invented, developed or applied, the individuals for who the program offered hope, similarly expanded. As a community of practice, Consortium participants share information in an open and rapid manner to addresses the complex health care and quality-of-life issues of cancer, transgender and other patients. To ensure that the organization remains contemporary to the needs of the community, the field designed a fully inclusive mechanism for strategic planning and here present the findings of this process. RESULTS: This interprofessional network of medical specialists, scientists, and scholars in the law, medical ethics, religious studies and other disciplines associated with human interventions, explore the relationships between health, disease, survivorship, treatment, gender and reproductive longevity. CONCLUSION: The goals are to continually integrate the best science in the service of the needs of patients and build a community of care that is ready for the challenges of the field in the future.

Access, barriers, and decisional regret in pursuit of fertility preservation among transgender and gender-diverse individuals.

OBJECTIVE: To query transgender and gender-diverse individuals on their desire for fertility preservation, perceived barriers to access care, and decisional regret. DESIGN: Cross-sectional. SETTING: Not applicable. PATIENT(S): A total of 397 gender-diverse individuals undergoing intake to the University of California Los Angeles Gender Health Program from January 2018 to March 2019. Seventy participated in a follow-up survey from September to October 2019 clarifying reproductive desires or intentions. INTERVENTION: Multiple-choice questionnaire. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Perceived barriers to access fertility preservation and decisional regret surrounding choice to pursue fertility preservation as measured with the use of the validated Decision Regret Scale (scored 0 to 100). RESULT(S): Barriers to accessing care were primarily cost of treatment (36%), discontinuation/delay of hormonal therapy (19%), or worsening of gender dysphoria with treatment/pregnancy (11%). Respondents indicated that their family planning goals were addressed by primary care providers and/or medical endocrinologists (multiple responses allowed), but 37% stated that their family planning goals were not adequately addressed. Those who had made a firm decision to pursue or not pursue fertility treatment had mild decisional regret. Moderate-to-severe decisional regret was noted in those who were undecided regarding the pursuit of fertility perseveration before transition and in those who were interested in referral to reproductive endocrinology. CONCLUSION(S): Consultation with a reproductive endocrinologist may reduce decisional regret as well as clarify perceived barriers to fertility preservation in transgender and gender-diverse individuals interested in fertility preservation.

Integration of partners of young women with cancer in oncofertility evidence-based informational resources.

Oncofertility has evolved over the years, with a prodigious amount of research documenting the importance of fertility for young patients with cancer, and the potential impact that fertility impairments due to cancer treatments has on their Quality of Life (QoL). Multiple professional bodies and scientific societies have included fertility as an integral part of clinical management. Clinical guidelines advocate that health professionals have the duty to discuss the risk of infertility and fertility preservation options as early as possible and refer to fertility specialists when appropriate. Collectively, fertility decisions are regarded as difficult for both patients and providers. Since providing fertility-related information is vital for better decision making, researchers and policy makers have concentrated their efforts in developing educational tools to aid decisions and guidelines to optimize the delivery of this information, focusing mainly on patients-providers and largely neglecting the role and influence that partners play in this process. Here, we reflect on the importance of partners in fertility decisions, with a focus on the provision of fertility-related information that is also geared towards partner. We highlight the need to involve partners in fertility discussions, and that their needs should be taken into account in both clinical guidelines and in the development of educational tools, for an optimal decision-making process.

Is ovarian cancer surgery stuck in the dark ages?: a commentary piece reviewing surgical technologies.

Ovarian cancer surgery endeavours to remove all visible tumour deposits, and surgical technologies could potentially facilitate this aim. However, there appear to be barriers around the adoption of new technologies, and we hope this article provokes discussion within the specialty to encourage a forward-thinking approach to new-age surgical gynaecological oncology.

Fertility Preservation for Adolescents Receiving Cancer Therapies.

According to the National Cancer Institute, ∼300,000 children globally are diagnosed with cancer each year. Advancements in chemotherapy and radiotherapy have revolutionized cancer treatment and improved long-term survival. Although many survivors will remain in good health with disease-free prognoses, three fourths will experience short-term and long-term effects from treatment. The cancer care paradigm has now appropriately shifted to include quality of life in survivorship with fertility cited as one of the most important quality of life indicators by survivors. A comprehensive approach to fertility preservation in adolescents receiving cancer therapies is described in this chapter.

ART strategies in Klinefelter syndrome.

PURPOSE: Patients with Klinefelter syndrome (KS) who receive assisted reproductive technology (ART) treatment often experience poor pregnancy rates due to decreased fertilization, cleavage, and implantation rates and even an increased miscarriage rate. Mounting evidence from recent studies has shown that various technological advances and approaches could facilitate the success of ART treatment for KS patients. In this review, we summarize the methods for guiding KS patients during ART and for developing optimal strategies for preserving fertility, improving pregnancy rate and live birth rate, and avoiding the birth of KS infants. METHODS: We searched PubMed and Google Scholar publications related to KS patients on topics of controlled ovarian stimulation protocols, sperm extraction, fertility preservation, gamete artificial activation, round spermatid injection (ROSI), and non-invasive prenatal screening (PGD) methods. RESULTS: This review outlines the different ovulation-inducing treatments for female partners according to the individual sperm status in the KS patient. We further summarize the methods of retrieving sperm, storing, and freezing rare sperm. We reviewed different methods of gamete artificial activation and discussed the feasibility of ROSI for sterile KS patients who absolutely lack sperm. The activation of eggs in the process of intracytoplasmic sperm injection and non-invasive PGD are urgently needed to prevent the birth of KS infants. CONCLUSION: The integrated strategies will pave the way for the establishment of ART treatment approaches and improve the clinical outcome for KS patients.

SARS-CoV-2 infection, male fertility and sperm cryopreservation: a position statement of the Italian Society of Andrology and Sexual Medicine (SIAMS) (Società Italiana di Andrologia e Medicina della Sessualità).

PURPOSE: The recent pandemic of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) due to coronavirus (CoV) 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has raised several concerns in reproductive medicine. The aim of this review is to summarize available evidence providing an official position statement of the Italian Society of Andrology and Sexual Medicine (SIAMS) METHODS: A comprehensive Pubmed, Web of Science, Embase, Medline and Cochrane library search was performed. Due to the limited evidence and the lack of studies, it was not possible to formulate recommendations according to the Oxford 2011 Levels of Evidence criteria. RESULTS: Several molecular characteristics of the SARS-CoV-2 can justify the presence of virus within the testis and possible alterations of spermatogenesis and endocrine function. Orchitis has been reported as a possible complication of SARS-CoV infection, but similar findings have not been reported for SARS-CoV-2. Alternatively, the orchitis could be the result of a vasculitis as COVID-19 has been associated with abnormalities in coagulation and the segmental vascularization of the testis could account for an orchitis-like syndrome. Finally, available data do not support the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in plasma seminal fluid of infected subjects. CONCLUSION: Data derived from other SARS-CoV infections suggest that in patients recovered from COVID-19, especially for those in reproductive age, andrological consultation and evaluation of gonadal function including semen analysis should be suggested. Studies in larger cohorts of currently infected subjects are warranted to confirm (or exclude) the presence of risks for male gametes that are destined either for cryopreservation in liquid nitrogen or for assisted reproduction techniques.