posted by bettersoon
26 June 2013
Curious about fertility options on offer...
Last reply:
27 June 2013 18:46
Hi All,
Just thinking in hindsight about my choices, decisions & options....
I was 33 with no kids when diagnosed at beginning of this year. I was offered options varying from egg & ovarian tissue feeezing to IVF in the UK. Wondering what is available to Irish women in hospitals here? I count myself very lucky but in booklets I've read they seem to suggest that there's little more than moral support offered. Does it depend whether or not you're a public/private patient?
Would love to hear your thoughts!
xx
Hi bettersoon,
I was in the same predicament as you last year. When discussing my cancer treatment I raised the fertility issue before anything started. I was in the public sector at the time, and I was sent to the rotunda to discuss my options. It was a bit confusing cause the oncologist said she wasn't a fertility specialist and sent me to the rotunda where they said they weren't oncologists so couldn't give me any hard facts about my fertility after chemo etc. typical Irish Health system, nobody knows anything! Anyway the rotunda were willing to freeze embryos or eggs but in the end my cancer was Er+ so the oncologist wouldn't sign off on the hormone treatment to harvest eggs so my options were very limited. Later another oncologist said that there was a 70% chance I would still be fertile after chemo so I took my chances.
Think if you asked to be referred to a specialist they should do that for you. Don't be afraid to ask.