Contents:
- Medical Video: Restoring Male Fertility after Cancer Treatment
- Effects of chemotherapy on fertility of women and men
- What are the effects of chemotherapy on female fertility?
- What are the effects of chemotherapy on male fertility?
- Is it possible for me to be difficult to have children due to the effects of chemotherapy?
Medical Video: Restoring Male Fertility after Cancer Treatment
Chemotherapy is one of the treatments that is relied upon in treating cancer cells. although until now chemotherapy has been proven effective in increasing the cure rate of cancer patients, the disadvantage of this treatment is its side effects. One of the effects of chemotherapy that is feared and feared by sufferers or former sufferers is the impact on their fertility.
Then what are the effects of chemotherapy on fertility? Can I not have children if I have chemotherapy?
Effects of chemotherapy on fertility of women and men
Chemotherapy works by turning off detected cells that are growing and developing. Cancer cells that are carrying out rapid growth and development will of course try to be stopped by chemotherapy drugs.
However, unfortunately this treatment also causes other body's normal cells which are also in development to die and stop growing. This then causes side effects on the body. Therefore, the effects of chemotherapy can also occur in your reproductive system and affect fertility.
What are the effects of chemotherapy on female fertility?
Chemotherapy can disrupt the reproductive system and reduce women's fertility by:
- Stop the production of hormones related to fertility, such as progesterone and estrogen.
- Stop working the ovaries which then causes you to experience premature menopause.
- Damages the lining of the uterus
A woman who underwent cancer treatment before reaching the age of 35 years, still had a significant opportunity to get pregnant after finishing treatment. Although indeed, when chemotherapy takes place, you will stop menstruation, but the chance to return to menstruation is still there after you complete cancer treatment.
However, menstruation or menstruation does not indicate that you can definitely get pregnant, because the quality of eggs can also decrease due to the treatment you are taking. This will affect your chances of getting pregnant.
What are the effects of chemotherapy on male fertility?
A man will start producing sperm since he is 13-14 years old. After that, men can produce sperm for the rest of their lives. Sperm cells are fast growing and growing cells, therefore these cells can be easy targets for chemotherapy.
The side effects of chemotherapy on male fertility are as follows:
- Disturb or even stop sperm production.
- Affects the production of testosterone and other hormones related to sexual function.
- Damaging nerves and blood vessels in the pelvic area, making it difficult for men to erect.
How severe the effects of chemotherapy on male fertility depend on the type and dose of chemotherapy drugs that each individual gets.
Is it possible for me to be difficult to have children due to the effects of chemotherapy?
After you have finished chemotherapy and other cancer treatments, you may wonder if you are still able to have offspring. Starting to appear feeling afraid and anxious about it.
It's natural if you feel this, but after completing treatment, you should immediately consult a doctor to test your fertility. You can also discuss supportive care to increase fertility and apply a number of programs to get you back to having children.
