Why wait? Fertility preservation conversations should start at diagnosis

Since 2021, the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer (the Partnership) has supported partners in 12 provinces and territories to spread and scale the Adolescent and Young Adult Oncofertility Screening in the Cancer System Initiative to help people aged 15 to 39 access information and services for preserving their fertility during cancer treatment. Fewer than 50% of people living with cancer in their reproductive years have had a discussion with their doctor about fertility.¹ Of significant concern for adolescent and young adults with cancer is the impact cancer may have on their fertility or reproductive health.

In the fall of 2024, the Partnership brought partners together to share progress and discuss common challenges and opportunities to support adolescents and young adults with fertility preservation resources and services. Themes that emerged were to:

Increase awareness and access to resources: Inform both patients and their healthcare providers of the impact cancer treatment may have on fertility and make them aware of fertility preservation resources.

Prioritize inclusion and equity: Engage with First Nations, Inuit and Métis partners and other equity-denied populations to work towards ensuring access to the same treatment supports available across the provinces.

Identify fertility preservation opportunities: Create systems to help patients and providers identify fertility preservation options before treatment begins. Partners are working with healthcare providers to create digital systems that will easily alert providers to eligible patients who may benefit from fertility conversations as part of their early care plans.

Comprehensive cancer care for Canadian young people includes initiatives that will improve quality of life for our patients in survivorship and beyond. A key metric related to that is oncofertility [and] the ability or option for someone to have their own biological children in future, regardless of the cancer treatment they received when they were young.

– Dr. Paul D’Alessandro

To learn more about the importance of ensuring people living with cancer who are in their reproductive years are aware of the potential impacts of treatment on fertility and the fertility preservation options available to them visit the Life after cancer: Transforming the post-treatment experience hub.

^{1 Young Adult Cancer Canada. YAC Prime report: A study to incite change [Internet]. Young Adult Cancer Canada; 2023 [cited 2025 Mar 14]. Available from: https://youngadultcancer.ca/yac-prime-study.}