Although it might feel upsetting and overwhelming to add fertility discussions to your long list of questions and concerns with your doctor after receiving an LGSOC diagnosis, experts have found that many people benefit from having talked with their doctor.

“Read about what different treatment options are out there and be your own advocate. …Any discussions and plans should always be with your fully informed consent. With low-grade you have time to weigh up options and not rush on in with sheer panic. This is a slower growing cancer and it is worth taking time to really get to grips with what the next steps should be. Above all, be kind and patient with yourself because coping with the news that you have this disease is very challenging." 
–Diane, LGSOC patient

Many people diagnosed with low-grade serous ovarian cancer (LGSOC) are pre-menopausal, of child-bearing age and may want to give birth and create or grow their families. The information to understand and decisions that are required right away when receiving a cancer diagnosis are significant and can be overwhelming. And with LGSOC, it’s often a challenge to even get an accurate diagnosis and clear treatment plan. So how can thoughts about fertility preservation or family-building take up space given all that?

Adding to the challenge, according to experts, family-planning conversations with your doctor are best to have before any treatment starts. There are some resources that may help and as always, talking to your doctor and tapping into your support resources are often the best place to start.
What are some of the topics to discuss with care teams and where can you go for more information?
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• Identifying the right doctor for you will impact every step and outcome of your diagnosis, including discussions around fertility Check whether your doctor has experience with LGSOC. If not, see if there is a doctor in your area who does or ask your current doctor to arrange a consultation with an LGSOC expert who is well informed about the latest treatment advances and learnings and how to navigate options for building a family.

 

• Learn more about options. While you don’t have to become an expert, having a general sense of fertility preservation strategies and how different treatments impact the ability to carry a child will help inform the questions you may want to ask or clarify options.

 

• Lean on your care partners and connect with others to balance how much you take on versus what you need help with. If you have a partner, family member or friend who can do the “legwork” and research options and attend doctor appointments with you where fertility planning is being discussed, it may provide additional support and an outlet for discussion and decision-making. Or you or your care partner may want to tap into a support group where you can learn about others’ paths and decisions. Learn more about finding support

 

• Tap into patient groups specifically focused on fertility preservation and family building for patients with cancer and have programs to help. The Alliance for Fertility Preservation is made up of a team of professionals who have come together to advance the field of fertility preservation. They have created a program that was designed to help find fertility preservation and family-building services quickly.