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. 2020 Mar 2:6:350-355.
doi: 10.1200/GO.22.00009. eCollection 2020.

Study of the Awareness of Adoption as a Family-Building Option Among Oncofertility Stakeholders in Japan

Eriko Shiraishi  1 , Kouhei Sugimoto  2 , Jason Solomon Shapiro  1 , Yuki Ito  1 , Keiko Kamoshita  1 , Atsuko Kusuhara  1 , Takayuki Haino  1 , Tomoe Koizumi  3 , Aikou Okamoto  1 , Nao Suzuki  4
Affiliations

Study of the Awareness of Adoption as a Family-Building Option Among Oncofertility Stakeholders in Japan

Eriko Shiraishi et al. JCO Glob Oncol. .

Abstract

Purpose: The oncofertility decision tree was developed by the oncofertility consortium as a tool to support healthcare professionals and patients through the complicated process of deciding the most appropriate fertility preservation strategy for patients with cancer. Various strategies include oocyte retrieval, oocyte donation, use of a gestational carrier and adoption. However, differences in the cultural and legal landscape present serious barriers to utilizing some of these strategies in Japan.

Patients and methods: We surveyed Japanese oncofertility stakeholders including 60 cancer survivors, 27 oncology facilities, 78 reproductive medicine facilities and 15 adoption agencies by a questionnaire to characterize awareness among oncofertility stakeholders in Japan about parenting options including adoption to inform work to establish guidelines for decision-making by cancer survivors in an oncofertility.

Results: Our results indicate that oncologists and reproductive endocrinologists in Japan have an insufficient understanding of adoption that prevents them from adequately informing their patients. Japanese cancer survivors self-describe a lack in confidence in finding a suitable partner and raising a child. Contrastingly, of the 9 adoption agencies which responded, no agency included being a cancer survivor as a criterion for disqualification and 4 of 9 (44%) adoption agencies reported at least 1 adoption to a cancer survivor in the last year.

Conclusion: Our work demonstrates that a cancer survivor's medical history itself is not a hurdle to adoption and investment in patient-provider education could be a viable strategy to improve the utilization of adoption as a fertility preservation strategy in Japan.

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Figures

FIG 1
FIG 1
(A) Type of underlying disease of survivors of cancer. (B) Marital status of survivors of cancer. (C) Disease status of survivors of cancer.
FIG 2
FIG 2
Cancer survivors’ responses to the question, “Do you want to have a child?”
FIG 3
FIG 3
Cancer survivors’ responses to the question, “Are you considering adoption?”
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Corrected and republished from

References

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