Pediatric Fertility Preservation
Our pediatric fertility preservation team can help young patients needing treatment for cancer, inherited genetic conditions (conditions passed down from their parents), or chronic diseases.
Our multidisciplinary team of doctors, nurses, and coordinators work together to provide outstanding care. We offer complete and personal care to meet the needs of all patients who want to be able to have children in the future.
What is pediatric fertility preservation?
Some treatments for cancer, inherited genetic conditions, or chronic diseases may damage a person’s ovaries, testes, or affect hormone levels that control the reproductive system. These treatments include chemotherapy, radiation, surgery, or a stem cell transplant. By freezing (cryo-preserving) sperm, eggs, or tissue from the ovaries or testes, patients have options to preserve fertility and have children in the future.
What possible pediatric fertility preservation options are available?
We take care to personalize options for each patient. We consider things like patient age, pubertal maturity, diagnosis, and treatment plans. We recommend completing most options before beginning treatment.
We talk with patients about all fertility preservation options, including:
- Embryo Cryopreservation (freezing)
- Oocyte (Egg) Cryopreservation (freezing)
- Ovarian Tissue Cryopreservation (OTC)
- Leuprolide (such as Eligard or Lupron)
- Ovarian Transposition or Shielding
- Sperm Cryopreservation (freezing)
- Testicular Tissue Cryopreservation (TTC)*
- Testicular Transposition or Shielding
*This treatment option is not yet medically proven to work and is currently only offered under a research study
We also offer counseling and education for patients and their families about long-term fertility risks.
Why choose Comer Children’s for your fertility preservation care?
Our patients and their families have access to the most advanced fertility preservation treatments. We help patients and their families look at fertility preservation options with personal, one-on-one support. This includes considering each person’s social, cultural, and financial supports.
Contact us
To learn more about our services or to make an appointment, call: 773-702-6808
Meet our pediatric fertility preservation team
Pediatric Hematology & Oncology (Pediatric Cancer)
Thomas K. Lee, MDPediatric Surgery
Shashwati Pradhan, MDObstetrics and Gynecology (OB/GYN)
Baddr Shakhsheer, MDPediatric Surgery
Jessica Long, MDObstetrics and Gynecology (OB/GYN)
Sana Salih, MD, MSObstetrics and Gynecology (OB/GYN)
Elizabeth Yarbrough, DNPPediatrics
Meet additional members of our pediatric fertility preservation team
- Mary Faith Turner: Nurse Navigator
- Stefania Marron Rodriguez: Clinical Research Associate
Chicagoland Children's Health Alliance
Our team is part of a larger Fertility Preservation Program in the Chicagoland Children’s Health Alliance (CCHA).
The CCHA is a partnership between University of Chicago Medicine Comer Children’s Hospital, Advocate Lutheran General Children’s Hospital, and Advocate Oak Lawn Children’s Hospital. Together, we provide all-inclusive and convenient fertility preservation services for patients and their families.