It can be hard to predict if someone is likely to be fertile after chemo.
Oocytes tend to divide quickly, so they are often affected by chemo, which kills fast-growing cells.
This can lead to loss of those important hormones and can affect fertility.
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Sometimes a person will go into premature or early menopause after chemo.
What Is Radiation Therapy?
Effect on Menstruation
Amenorrheais the absence of aperiod, or menses.
Many of the drugs used to treat cancer can harm the developing fetus during pregnancy.
People usually are advised to use birth control to avoid getting pregnant during treatment.
It’s important to know what kind of birth control is best and safest for you to use.
Effect on Menopause
Chemotherapy-induced menopause is also known asmedical menopause.
Your periods may stop temporarily during chemotherapy, or they may stop for good.
The older you are, the higher the risk that this menopause will be permanent.
Its similar to being in the state calledperimenopause, which can start eight to 10 years before menopause.
In the case of CMF in particular, about half of premenopausal women stop their periods while on it.
Among those in their 30s, about 25%50% can expect to get their periods back.
Anxiety ordepressioncan also affect your sex life and leave little energy for sex.
Sexual desire often returns during recovery or in between cycles of treatments.
People getting chemo also tend to be sensitive about their appearance.
This includes the lining of thevagina, which may become dry and inflamed.
You could also experience flare-ups (intensification of symptoms) ofgenital wartsorherpesbecause of the immunosuppressive effect of chemotherapy drugs.
Its important to use birth control methods during treatment for chemotherapy, but avoid the pill.
Chemotherapy can causenausea, and vomiting may decrease the pill’s effectiveness.
Experts also recommend avoiding hormonal birth control containing estrogen.
You may want to discussprogestin-only birth controlwith your healthcare provider.
Thecopper IUD(intrauterine equipment) is recommended for most females undergoing chemotherapy.
Fertility preservation is an important consideration for people who wish to have children after chemotherapy.
You may wish to discuss cryopreservation of embryos or oocytes with your healthcare provider before beginning chemotherapy.
The tissue can be transplanted years later to make pregnancy possible.
This preservation method is the recommended option if the chemotherapy treatment is urgent and cannot be delayed.
You should discuss and develop a fertility plan with your healthcare provider before undergoing treatment.
Family planning prior to chemotherapy can be emotionally taxing.
Not everyone experiences this during chemotherapy, and some medications are more likely to cause it than others.
“Chemopause” is a term for the temporary induction of menopause during chemotherapy.
With chemopause, periods eventually return.
This may also be referred to as secondary amenorrhea.
Certain chemotherapy medications are more likely to cause early menopausal symptoms.
A person diagnosed with cancer in their 40s may start menopause sooner than someone in their 20s or 30s.
You may experience hot flashes, mood changes, and sleep problems if you have chemopause.
However, if you experience an abnormal amount of heavy bleeding, contact your healthcare provider right away.
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