Fertility Preservation

Fertility preservation is mostly considered by women who are:

  • Delaying motherhood
  • Undergoing cancer treatments
  • At risk for premature ovarian insufficiency
  • Morally and/or religiously opposed to freezing embryos

Egg freezing (oocyte cryopreservation) is a relatively new procedure which allows patients to store eggs for later use. The Pacific In Vitro Fertilization Institute celebrated the first successful frozen oocyte (egg) pregnancy in Hawaii with the birth of a healthy baby boy in April of 2010. Embryo and sperm freezing have been available for many years; however, egg freezing requires a new ultra-rapid cooling technique called vitrification. This technique greatly reduces the risk of injury to the egg.

Vitrification technology allows women to store eggs for several reasons:

  • Maintaining fertility in women who wish to defer pregnancy. Since increasing age decreases the pregnancy rate in women, storing eggs at a younger age is helpful in maintaining fertility.
  • Storing eggs prior to some types of radiation or chemotherapy (which can temporarily or permanently cause infertility or sterility).
  • Couples with religious concerns about embryo freezing and what to do with extra stored embryos. With egg freezing available, fewer eggs can be fertilized for use now and extra eggs can be frozen and stored for future use.

 

LIVESTRONG Fertility

Formerly known as Fertile Hope, LIVESTRONG Fertility provides reproductive information, support, and financial assistance to cancer survivors who seek to preserve fertility or plan for a family after undergoing medical treatments that present a risk to fertility. The program also works to expand the current options available to cancer survivors by creating partnerships with reproductive endocrinologists and fertility centers around the nation.

Pacific In Vitro is proud to be named as a LIVESTRONG Fertility program partner, and offers a discount for patients who qualify for the LIVESTRONG Fertility program. LIVESTRONG Fertility also offers assistance to qualified female applicants by providing access to fertility medication donated by EMD Serono, Inc.

LIVESTRONG Fertility now offers a secure, web based application portal for patients and providers. You may access the portal at https://livestrongfertilityportal.unicentric.com. For those who prefer direst assistance, please call 855-220-7777 to speak with a live LIVESTRONG Fertility application specialist.

Heart Beat

For patients pursuing fertility preservation services prior to cancer treatment, Ferring Pharmaceuticals and Walgreens Specialty Pharmacy have developed the Heart Beat program to help ease some of the financial burden that comes along with fertility preservation treatment.

The Heart Beat program offers eligible patients select fertility medications at no cost.

Qualification requirements:

  • Female
  • US citizen or permanent resident
  • Diagnosis of cancer
  • Cancer treatment has not yet been initiated
  • No chemotherapy within the previous 6 months
  • Oncologist and reproductive endocrinologist have determined that fertility preservation treatment is medically appropriate

More information from the Ferring website here: https://www.ferringfertility.com/savings/heartbeat/

ReUnite Oncofertility

Cancer Patients Save up to 100% on Select Medication

Each year more than 150,000 Americans of reproductive age are diagnosed with cancer. Chemotherapy and radiation, while highly effective against cancer, may cause irreversible damage to reproductive issues. Fortunately, fertility preservation options exist to give cancer survivors the chance to build a family in the future. However, these costs are generally not covered by insurance providers. The ReUnite Oncofertility Program was created to reduce this financial burden by offering up to a 100% discount on select fertility medications based on financial need.

ELIGIBLE MEDICATIONS:

  • Follistim AQ (2,700 IU Maximum)
  • Ganirelix (5 Syringe Maximum)

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:

  • Self-pay patient (no fertility drug benefits)
  • Female patients requiring cancer treatments affecting their fertility
  • No prior chemotherapy
  • Completed ReUnite Oncofertility Application
  • Current proof of income (1040 tax document)

Please visit the ReUnite Oncofertility website for more information.