CaRi-heart technology
Revolutionary new technology to assess the risk of a serious heart condition or heart attack – many years before anything happens.
Fertility preservation and cancer
- Plan for your future with the experts
- Visit Lister Fertility Clinic, the UK’s largest private IVF unit
- Over 22,000 babies born with us
Jump to
Fertility preservation and cancer at HCA UK
Why choose us?
Advances in cancer treatment mean that long-term survival for many cancers is better than ever.1 But these powerful therapies often come with a risk of fertility problems.
If you’re having treatment for cancer, we can help you to preserve your future fertility and hold on to your hopes of having a family. With rapid referrals and direct access to reproductive specialists, we’re here to make a difficult time a little easier.
There are lots of ways that cancer treatment can affect fertility, in both women and men.2,3
- Surgery to remove part of your reproductive system, such as your testicles, prostate gland, womb, fallopian tubes, ovaries or cervix, can mean it’s harder, or no longer possible to get pregnant.
- Chemotherapy may reduce or stop sperm production in men and cause early menopause in women, meaning that no more eggs are released from your ovaries. Some chemotherapy drugs impact fertility more than others. The effects can be temporary or permanent.
- Radiotherapy may affect sperm production and quality or cause early menopause in women. It usually only causes these problems if you’re having radiotherapy in the pelvis area or in your brain, where it can affect your pituitary gland. The effects can again be temporary or permanent.
- Hormone therapy for prostate cancer can reduce levels of testosterone and affect sperm production. The effects may stop when you finish treatment, but you may need to continue taking treatment for some time.
- Hormone therapy for breast cancer can reduce levels of oestrogen and cause changes to your menstruation, including making your periods stop altogether. These effects may end when you finish treatment, but you may need to continue taking the treatment for some time.
We understand how distressing it can be to face a potential loss of fertility at the same time as dealing with a cancer diagnosis. But cancer treatments don’t have to mean an end to your hopes of having children.
If you can freeze your eggs, embryos or sperm before you start your cancer treatment 3,4 you’ll still have the option to try for children in the future.
Your main fertility preservation options include egg freezing, embryo freezing and freezing sperm.3-5 Here’s a quick overview of how the different treatment options work:
- Egg freezing. Your ovaries are stimulated, similar to an IVF cycle. Your eggs are then collected during a minor vaginal procedure and frozen using a process called vitrification.
- Embryo freezing. Your ovaries are stimulated and eggs collected as with egg freezing but they’re then mixed with sperm in a laboratory. Any good quality embryos that develop can be selected for freezing.
- Sperm freezing. You usually need to provide a sperm sample through masturbation. If this isn’t possible, assisted techniques may be available. Your sperm are then frozen.
Although embryo freezing is a long-standing, effective method for fertility preservation, many women prefer egg freezing because you don’t need to have a partner who you’re committed to having children with.3,5
Of course your own health and wellbeing are critical so your oncologist will first need to advise whether you’re well enough to undergo any of these procedures – and whether there’s enough time to complete the procedure before you start cancer treatment.4
If your treatment does cause fertility problems, you can use your frozen eggs, embryos or sperm to try for children when you’re ready. Frozen eggs or sperm can be thawed and used in IVF or other assisted reproduction techniques. Frozen embryos are thawed and transferred straight to your womb.3
Absolutely. At Lister Fertility Clinic, we understand that the initial focus of care should always be on mapping out of the most successful treatment strategy for your cancer. In parallel to this, our fertility specialists can start discussing and planning your fertility preservation options too.
Time is an important factor when you’re starting cancer treatment. Fertility preservation usually needs to happen before your cancer treatment begins. We can start planning for fertility preservation within 48 hours if necessary. And if you decide to proceed, treatment can start immediately so as not to delay your cancer treatment.
We make sure the procedures we use for fertility preservation will not do anything to worsen your condition. For example, in oestrogen-dependent breast cancer, we limit the amount of oestrogen you have during egg stimulation.
We also work with leading fertility experts across a range of medical fields, including gynaecology and urology. That means you’ll be supported by a whole team of experts, from consultants, embryologists and sonographers to counsellors and experienced fertility-trained nurse practitioners.
22,000+
babies born with us
17
dedicated fertility consultants
35+
years with a history of success
Next-day appointments
See a specialist in as little as 24 hours
State-of-the-art diagnostics
With results in as little as 48 hours
Multidisciplinary teams
Expert treatment with specialist care for complex care
Your fertility preservation and cancer journey
What to expect
Thanks to rapid advances in treatment options for young adults, men and women of reproductive age, the long-term prognosis for many cancers is much improved. We’re your trusted fertility partner, here to help your hopes of having a family remain just as positive.
That means collaborating seamlessly with your oncology team and being here for you at every stage - from your initial consultation and testing through to delivering a personalised treatment plan and counselling, should you need it.
01
Initial consultation
All our packages include an initial consultation, where we’ll talk to you about your medical, family and lifestyle history. We’ll also consider everything your oncologist tells us about your case, upcoming cancer treatment and any critical timelines.
This is your opportunity to ask us any questions you have about the process and your options and speak to a counsellor if you need help processing anything you’ve been told.
02
Investigations and diagnostics
Your consultant will want to run a set of tests and scans which will be conducted in-house. You’ll get results in as little as 48 hours. With us, you have the security of knowing that everything you need to plan your future is in one place.
03
Counselling
Your emotional health is as much as a priority for us as your physical wellbeing. As part of this package, you’ll be able to access counselling with specially trained fertility experts at every stage of your journey – for no additional cost.
Whether you want to talk over the emotional implications of trying to conceive before undergoing cancer treatment or need support to deal with the outcome of your tests, you’ll have someone there for you when you need it most.
04
Follow-up and next steps
A follow-up consultation is where we share results and discuss next steps. If you need further tests or treatment, we offer the full range of services. We’ll also work with you and your oncologist to draw up a personalised treatment plan in timeframes that work.
Where can I access Fertility preservation and cancer services?
You’ll find our fertility services in London and Buckinghamshire. Across hospitals and treatment centres, you’ll have access to dozens of industry-leading fertility experts who can help, from initial consultation through to treatment and next steps.
Lister Fertility Clinic
Chelsea Bridge Road SW1W 8RH London
Lister Fertility Clinic at The Portland Hospital
First Floor 215 Great Portland Street W1W 5PN London
Lister Fertility Clinic at The Beaconsfield Clinic
Little Hall Barn Windsor End, Beaconsfield HP9 2JW Buckinghamshire
Lister Fertility Clinic at The Shard
The Shard Outpatients St Thomas Street SE1 9BS London
Accessing private health care
Self-pay
You don’t need health insurance to be seen quickly. If you’re looking for treatment and don’t want to wait, all of our fertility treatments can be paid for as and when you need them.
And to give you peace of mind from the start, we’ll provide you with a clear and transparent quote outlining exactly what’s included in your self-pay package.
FAQs
When you are awaiting treatment for cancer, timing really matters. We’ll work directly with your oncology team to understand your treatment plan and dovetail our fertility preservation services to work around those, always putting your good health and wellbeing first.
If you’d like to book in, you can simply self-refer. Just give us a call on 020 3993 1858 and explain your situation. Our team will find you the best available slot.
Yes, of course. We have a choice of 17 female and male fertility specialists working at the Lister Fertility Clinic and across our satellite branches.
It depends on the type of package you opt for. Check out our price list
The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) is the UK’s independent regulator of fertility treatment research using human embryos. We’re proud that Lister Fertility Clinic has both an inspection and patient rating of 5/5.
- Cancer survival statistics. Cancer Research UK. Available from: https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/health-professional/cancer-statistics/survival, accessed 30 April 2024.
- Fertility and cancer treatment. Macmillan Cancer Support. 2023. Available from: https://www.macmillan.org.uk/cancer-information-and-support/impacts-of-cancer/fertility/cancer-treatments, accessed 30 April 2024.
- The effects of cancer treatment on reproductive functions. Guidance on management. Report of a Working Party. Royal College of Physicians, Royal College of Radiologists, Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. 2007. Available from: https://www.rcr.ac.uk/our-services/all-our-publications/clinical-oncology-publications/the-effects-of-cancer-treatment-on-reproductive-functions-guidance-on-management/, accessed 30 April 2024.
- Fertility problems: assessment and treatment. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. 2017. Available from: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg156/chapter/recommendations, accessed 9 April 2024.
- Lambertini M, Peccatori FA, Demeestere I, et al; ESMO Guidelines Committee. Fertility preservation and post-treatment pregnancies in post-pubertal cancer patients: ESMO Clinical Practice Guidelines. Ann Oncol 2020;31(12):1664-1678. doi: 10.1016/j.annonc.2020.09.006.
Patient stories
How Lister Fertility Clinic helped two fathers-to-be
Paul is sitting in his home in Belfast, with his husband Neil and their beautiful three-month-old son Felix, talking about their journey to fatherhood – a journey that the Lister Fertility Clinic, part of HCA Healthcare UK, accompanied them on.
Clare’s fertility treatment
Clare and her husband Derek thought they might never have children, until joining the egg-sharing programme at the Lister Fertility Clinic.
Alice and Aaron's fertility treatment
After being told they’d never have children, Alice and Aaron turned to the Lister Fertility Clinic. They now have a beautiful two-year-old daughter.
Cristina's IVF story
When Cristina was diagnosed with breast cancer, not only was she concerned about her own health, but she also didn't want the cancer treatment to stop her from becoming a mother. Thanks to the fertility experts at Lister Fertility Clinic, Cristina was able to undergo an egg collection before she started her radiation treatment.
Cristina was overjoyed to welcome her 'big, little miracle' - her wonderful daughter. This is Cristina's inspiring story.
“With Mr Rehan Salim I have now successfully been able to freeze eggs and will do another round of egg freezing next month to be on the safe side. My journey with him has been 100% better than with the other doctors and I am so happy that I continued to look for a good doctor until I found Mr Salim.”
Reviewed by
This content is intended for general information only and does not replace the need for personal advice from a qualified health professional.