Fertility preservation counseling for women of reproductive age diagnosed with cancer: an integrative review

• Published in: JBRA assisted reproduction Vol. 28; no. 3; pp. 489 - 496
• Main Authors: Barioni, Júlia Casemiro, Gozzo, Thais de Oliveira
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Brazil Sociedade Brasileira de Reprodução Humana (Brazilian Society of Assisted Reproduction) 01.01.2024; Brazilian Society of Assisted Reproduction
• Subjects: Age; Cancer therapies; Chemotherapy; Counseling; Data analysis; Decision making; Fertility; Infertility; Medical personnel; Oncology; Ovaries; Radiation therapy; Review; Womens health; Brazil; antineoplastic agents; directive counseling; nursing; women’s health; fertility preservation; assisted reproductive techniques
• DOI: 10.5935/1518-0557.20230074
• ISSN: 1518-0557; 1517-5693

This integrative review synthesizes the scientific evidence on fertility preservation counseling prior to oncological treatment for women of reproductive age diagnosed with cancer. Bibliographic research was conducted on databases PubMed, CINAHL, LILACS, EMBASE, Scopus, and Web of Science. The structured search strategy for the review question was "counseling AND antineoplastic agents AND fertility preservation". The use of controlled descriptors and keywords was adapted for each database. Study selection through the Rayyan platform was independent and blinded. The final sample comprised seven studies emphasizing the importance of clarifying factors related to the risk of infertility due to oncological treatment and fertility preservation techniques, such as success rate, pregnancy rate, cost, available options, and side-effects, as well as discussing the possibilities of adoption and surrogacy. This review provided evidence reinforcing the importance of counseling for fertility preservation, promoting motherhood for women who face oncological treatment. Organized networks linking oncology and reproductive medicine units are crucial to facilitate patient referral between these services and interprofessional communication.