Having Children After Cancer: How to Make Informed Choices Before and After Treatment and Build the Family of Your Dreams

Shaw, a health and medical writer, breast cancer survivor, and mother of three, focuses on both practical and personal matters in this accessible, comprehensive look at becoming a parent after cancer. Diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 36 and wary of pregnancy when her treatments ended, Shaw adopted a child, but later gave birth to two more. She maintains that while cancer treatment can put fertility at risk, damaging sperm and/or eggs, there is no reason why the disease should close the door to future parenthood. And while both cancer itself and treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation may cause fertility problems ranging from premature menopause to damaged DNA, there are many available solutions. The author urges couples to talk to their physicians about fertility issues as soon as possible, and walks readers through such options as egg, embryo, and ovarian tissue freezing for women and sperm banking for men. She maintains that the odds of getting one's fertility back after cancer may be better than expected, but helpfully also covers such alternatives as egg donors, surrogacy, and adoption. This is an invaluable guidebook for couples journeying into parenthood after cancer. (Feb.)