Fertility & Hormone Preservation & Restoration Program

We treat the whole child as part of our comprehensive care approach and believe fertility preservation is an element of the overall treatment strategy that patients create with their clinical team. In the case of treatments, families are encouraged to discuss the effects that their disease or disease treatments may have on their fertility and hormone production with their medical specialists at the time of diagnosis.

Each patient is unique, so fertility preservation must be tailored and carefully integrated with a patient’s treatment. Appropriate fertility preservation options depend on the age of the patient, as well as the cancer treatment the patient will receive. Fertility preservation can also apply to patients treated for other conditions, such as patients with genetic disorders that might cause infertility, or patients with rheumatology disorders who receive medications that might result in infertility.

We are a member of the nationwide Oncofertility Consortium at Northwestern University, a group of fertility experts, oncologists, surgeons, urologists, endocrinologists and researchers that are working to provide fertility preservation options to patients who are at risk for infertility due to cancer treatment, surgery or a congenital condition.

Our program participates in research to advance the field of fertility and hormone preservation and restoration to provide future options for our patients. Current studies include:

• The National Physicians Cooperative, part of the Oncofertility Consortium, is a nation-wide collaboration of physicians whose mission is to protect and preserve reproductive health through the continuum of care and across the lifespan of patients. This is an NIH funded program that began at Northwestern University.
• Ovarian Tissue Cryopreservation, which has the goal to use long-term preservation of ovarian tissue with the potential to remove and mature eggs from the tissue in the future. If this method is proven successful, tissue and/or eggs can be used to initiate pregnancies after the patient is in remission.
• Ovarian Reserve After Cancer: Longitudinal Effects (ORACLE), which observes for changes in ovarian function during and after treatment for cancer. This study is in collaboration with the University of Pennsylvania.
• Monica Laronda, PhD, is the Director of Basic and Translational Research for the Fertility & Hormone Preservation & Restoration program. She is a reproductive endocrinologist who studies the mechanisms of fertility and hormone restoration. Learn more about Dr. Laronda's research.

Both caregivers and patients can learn more about our fertility and hormone health services from talking to one of our team members by calling 312.227.4145 or e-mailing fertilitypreservation@luriechildrens.org.

Appointments

To make an appointment with the Fertility & Hormone Preservation & Restoration Program, please call 312.227.4145.