Proposed Topic (Most preferred): :
Research and Innovations (new projects / technology / innovations / service models)
Proposed Topic (Second preferred): :
Clinical Safety and Quality Service I (Projects aiming to improve efficiency and effectiveness of care delivery to meet international standards)
Authors (including presenting author) :
Chan TYD, Ko KYJ, Lam KWK, Tong YW, Wong E, Cheng HYH, Yung SFS, Li HWR, Ng HYE
Affiliation :
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, School of Clinical Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong
Introduction :
Fertility preservation (FP) can give cancer patients hope of having biological children after the completion of cancer treatment.
Objectives :
To review the experience and change in service demand since the implementation of a public FP programme for cancer patients in Hong Kong.
Methodology :
This is a retrospective study involving men and women who were seen at an assisted reproduction unit for public FP service before cancer treatment from August 2020 to February 2023. Their medical records were reviewed. The results were compared with our previous study to evaluate the trend in service demand.
Result & Outcome :
There were 48 consultations for female FP during the study period, compared with 72 women seen for FP from 2010 to 2020 before the establishment of the public FP programme. The median time (25th – 75th percentile) between referral to consultation was 3 (2-5) days.
Eighteen (37.5%) women underwent 19 cycles of ovarian stimulation for oocyte or embryo cryopreservation. Thirty (62.5%) of women had received GnRH agonists during cancer treatment. There were 58 consultations for male FP during the study period, compared with 265 men who had sperm cryopreservation from 2005 to 2020. The median time (25th – 75th percentile) between referral to consultation was 4 (2-7) days. Fifty-five (94.8%) men attempted sperm cryopreservation and 49 (84.5%) had sperm cryopreserved.
In conclusion, there was an increase in service demand for FP services in our centre since establishment of a public FP programme. Reproductive age men seeking FP were more likely than women to undergo gamete cryopreservation.
