Increasing Equitable Access to Fertility Preservation Care in AYAs with a New Cancer Diagnosis

Project Description Narrative:

Fertility preservation services are crucial for individuals interested in having children but whose fertility can be impacted by cancer treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation. The American Society of Clinical Oncology suggests all patients of childbearing age be offered fertility preservation services. However, there are currently low-referral rates for fertility preservation services among adolescent and youth adults (AYA) diagnosed with cancer between the ages of 15 and 39, especially among black and Hispanic individuals in low-resource, non-urban settings, as well as among patients who have small children.

In this project, researchers will investigate the risk of infertility for AYA patients with a new cancer diagnosis and assess the biases associated with not referring patients to fertility preservation services at Froedtert and the Medical College of Wisconsin (FMCW). Ultimately, this project will lead to educating FMCW providers on available fertility preservation services and improve the referral process for those services.