USC Fertility

Female Fertility Preservation for Medical Reasons

Female fertility preservation is an option for many medical conditions

Women might choose to preserve their fertility through IVF with egg freezing or embryo freezing for many reasons. For women facing chronic medical conditions, female fertility preservation can provide peace of mind, allowing them to focus on getting well while knowing that they have done all they can to maximize their chance of having a baby in the future.

Women seeking fertility preservation in Los Angeles come to us when they need a fertility specialist who can explain their options, work closely with their other medical specialists and customize their fertility treatment to achieve the best results without compromising their health. Our experienced fertility preservation experts understand that in these cases, time is of the essence, and they will do everything possible to provide compassionate, personalized care that fits into your existing treatment plan.

Who needs female fertility preservation for medical reasons

Many women facing cancer treatment choose to preserve their fertility, but female fertility preservation can also help women who have other medical conditions that may affect their future ability to have a child either directly or because of a delay in initiating conception.

  • Autoimmune diseases
  • Fertility-reducing medications
  • Endometriosis
  • Ovary removal
  • Premature ovarian failure/insufficiency
  • Age-related infertility
  • Gender transition surgery

Certain chronic autoimmune disorders, such as lupus, cause women to delay pregnancy because their bodies are not ready to carry a pregnancy. Many of these women may be healthy enough to do freeze eggs or embryos, even though they aren’t ready to carry a pregnancy. Additionally, some medical conditions may require you to take medications that can interfere with ovulation. Preserving your fertility now allows you to focus on getting the treatment you need to be healthy, so you can be the best mother you can be when you’re ready to try for a pregnancy later in life.

If you have a condition such as endometriosis, and surgical removal of your ovaries is needed, female fertility preservation can give you a chance to have a biological link to a future child.

Some young, healthy women who get elective fertility testing are surprised to learn that their egg supply has already started to decline. This condition, called premature ovarian failure/insufficiency or diminished ovarian reserve, means that women who want to one day become biological mothers must act quickly if they wish to preserve their peak fertility for future family building.

Because a woman’s egg quantity and quality decline naturally with age, a woman in her 30’s to 40’s who is considering female fertility preservation should not wait to find out if she is a good candidate. Depending on remaining egg supply, older women may need multiple cycles to freeze enough eggs or embryos to achieve pregnancy in the future.

Fertility preservation through egg freezing is also an excellent option for transgender men who are medically transitioning from female to male, but still want a chance to become a biological parent. For transgender women medically transitioning from male to female, banking frozen sperm protects their family building options in the same way.

Explore your options

If you’re facing a medical condition and are wondering if fertility preservation may be right for you, don’t wait to get answers. A consultation with one of our fertility preservation experts can help clarify the potential impact of your condition on your fertility, how much time you have before you need to act and how successful fertility preservation treatment would likely be for you.

For information about female fertility preservation for medical reasons, contact us to schedule a consultation to learn more about fertility preservation in Los Angeles.