Chemotherapy curbs IVF success

Even one round of chemotherapy appears to have a significant effect on in vitro fertilization (IVF) outcomes.A recent chemotherapy treatment dramatically reduces the efficacy of IVF for embryo cryopreservation. Women with cancer can have their eggs retrieved, fertilized and the resulting embryos frozen before treatment in case their fertility is damaged. But as this takes time and may lead to a delay in cancer treatment, some women undergo egg retrieval and embryo freezing during a break in treatment or when they go into remission. However, very little has been published on the efficacy of IVF in patients who have had cancer treatment.

Researchers from the Universite Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, followed 11 women with an average age of 27 who had a cancer diagnosis and wished to preserve their fertility via IVF. Four of the women underwent IVF in the interval between two chemotherapy regimens. Of these, two had no follicular development (growth of an egg and its surrounding cells) and one underwent follicular puncture but no eggs were retrieved. Six eggs were harvested from the remaining woman, but only one high quality embryo was obtained.The other seven women underwent IVF before starting chemotherapy. Between 4 and 11 embryos, the majority of which were of high quality, were obtained from each patient.

The researchers conclude that IVF should be performed before chemotherapy. If chemotherapy is needed immediately, they add, ovarian tissue or oocyte cryopreservation should be proposed prior to treatment.

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