Fertility preservation for social and oncofertility indications.

The desire to reproduce is a base human instinct. However, for many individuals, the chances of being able to have a genetic child are compromised by a number of factors. For some, therapies aimed at treating serious medical illness, such as cancer; result in a deleterious impact on the function of eggs and sperm in the future thus compromising future fertility. In women, a predictable decrease in egg quality and quantity occurs with advancing maternal age. Therefore, women who choose to delay childbearing until their late 30s or early 40s may experience fertility difficulties that would not have been present earlier in life. Currently, technologies exist that allow individuals to have an "insurance policy" to preserve eggs or sperm prior to being exposed to agents, including time or specific toxic agents to the ovaries or sperm, that may decrease fertility potential. This article attempts to summarize the current state of the art technologies regarding fertility preservation for both social and oncofertility indications.