Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2022 Mar 11;27(3):e251-e264.
doi: 10.1093/oncolo/oyab051.

Perspectives of Young Women With Gynecologic Cancers on Fertility and Fertility Preservation: A Systematic Review

Vânia Gonçalves  1 , Pedro L Ferreira  1 , Mona Saleh  2 , Christina Tamargo  3 , Gwendolyn P Quinn  4
Affiliations

Perspectives of Young Women With Gynecologic Cancers on Fertility and Fertility Preservation: A Systematic Review

Vânia Gonçalves et al. Oncologist. .

Abstract

Background: Gynecologic cancers standard treatment often requires the removal of some reproductive organs, making fertility preservation a complex challenge. Despite heightened oncofertility awareness, knowledge about fertility attitudes and decisions of young patients with gynecologic cancer is scarce. The aim of this systematic review was to highlight what is currently known about knowledge, attitudes, and decisions about fertility, fertility preservation, and parenthood among these patients.

Methods: Peer-reviewed journals published in English were searched in PubMed, Web of Science and EMBASE from January 1, 2000 to July 1, 2020. Childbearing, fertility, fertility preservation, pregnancy, and parenthood attitudes/decisions after gynecologic cancer from women's perspective were evaluated.

Results: A total of 13 studies comprised the review. Most of the women valued fertility preservation procedures that could be regarded as a means to restore fertility. A unique feature identified was that fertility preservation was seen also as a way to restore gender identity perceived to be lost or threatened during diagnosis and treatment. Fertility counseling was suboptimal, with wide variability among studies reviewed. Comparisons between gynecologic cancers and other cancer types about fertility counseling rates were inconclusive. The potential negative impact of impaired fertility on patients' mental health and quality of life was also documented.

Conclusions: Fertility and parenthood were important matters in patients' lives, with the majority of patients expressing positive attitudes toward future childbearing. Results confirm that the inclusion of patients with gynecologic cancer in research studies focusing on this topic still remains low. Additionally, the provision of fertility counseling and referral by health professionals is still suboptimal.

Keywords: attitudes; fertility; fertility counseling; fertility preservation; gynecological cancer; young women.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Search string.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Flow diagram of inclusion/exclusion of papers in the review.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Ayakannu T, Taylor AH, Willets JM, Konje JC. The evolving role of the endocannabinoid system in gynaecological cancer. Hum Reprod Update. 2015;21(4):517-535. - PubMed
    1. Tomao F, Peccatori F, Del Pup L, et al. Special issues in fertility preservation for gynecologic malignancies. Crit Rev Oncol Hematol. 2016;97:206-219. - PubMed
    1. Martinez F.; International Society for Fertility Preservation–ESHRE–ASRM Expert Working Group . Update on fertility preservation from the Barcelona International Society for Fertility Preservation-ESHRE-ASRM 2015 expert meeting: indications, results and future perspectives. Fertil Steri. 2017;108:407-415.e11. - PubMed
    1. Oktay K, Harvey BE, Partridge AH, et al. Fertility preservation in patients with cancer: ASCO clinical practice guideline update. J Clin Oncol. 2018;36(19):1994-2001. - PubMed
    1. Taylan E, Oktay K. Fertility preservation in gynecologic cancers. Gynecol Oncol. 2019;155(3):522-529. - PubMed

Publication types