My Cancer Fertility

Clinic Finder

If you’re interested in speaking with a reproductive specialist or are ready to explore your fertility preservation options, find a clinic here.

Fertility Preservation Financing

Unfortunately, fertility preservation is not cheap. The cost of your different options can vary depending on where you live, your insurance status, the medical facility you’re working with, and what procedure you’re pursuing.

Important Things to Consider

• This is an estimate. The prices listed on this page are estimates and there can be large variations in cost from clinic to clinic.
• There are ongoing costs. There are ongoing fees associated with fertility preservation that can range from $150 to more than $10,000 per year. These can include:
  • Storage fees to safely keep your sperm, eggs, or tissue
  • Transport fees if you change storage facilities or to the clinic where you are pursuing fertility
  • Usage/testing fees for when you are ready to use your sperm, eggs, or tissue to try to get pregnant
• Talk to your insurance company. Some insurance plans cover a portion of the costs of fertility preservation. Be sure to get any plan details in writing before you begin treatment.
• Check your rights. You may live in a state that mandates certain fertility coverage or your employer may offer specific fertility assistance. Do your research.
• Ask for discounts. Fertility clinics may offer discounts to cancer patients or have discounted package rates.

Compare Your Options

Typically, fertility preservation will cost less overall than using a third party reproduction option, such as surrogacy. This chart shows the range in upfront costs associated with different fertility options. But, keep in mind that all preservation approaches require you to pay an additional monthly or annual storage fee. 

Get Financial Assistance

Financial assistance programs exist to help cancer patients afford fertility preservation efforts. 

• HeartBeat Program – fertility medication at no cost to eligible cancer patients
• Livestrong Fertility – access to discounted services and free medications
• Team Maggie’s Dream – grants for fertility preservation expenses
• Chick Mission – funding for egg/embryo freezing at clinics in California, Colorado, Illinois, New Jersey, New York, & Texas
• Verna’s Purse – discounted long-term storage for embryos, oocytes, semen, ovarian tissue, or testicular tissue
• The SAM Fund – grants for fertility storage or medical services such as IVF, IUI, gestational carrier, surrogacy, adoption, and fertility testing
• Allyson Whitney Foundation – grants for IVF treatments
• Worth the Wait – grants for fertility preservation, fertility treatments, adoption, and surrogacy
• Fertility Within Reach – overview of different grant and discount programs
• Cade Foundation – grants for fertility preservation or adoption

Insurance Resources

• Alliance for Fertility Preservation – overview of state laws that require insurers to cover fertility preservation for cancer patients
• Health Well Foundation – help with copays, premiums, deductibles, and out-of-pocket expenses
• Government Insurance Coverage – if you or your spouse is a federal employee, fertility preservation might be covered by your insurance
• Coverage for Veterans – overview of fertility services the VA provides

Your Legal Rights

It’s important to think through your desires now so you don’t have to worry about it later. Figuring out the legal aspects of fertility preservation will save you a lot of money and hassle if something were to happen.

Considering these questions and having a plan in place will give you and your family ease of mind. 

• Who can make decisions about my sample(s) if I am unable to make decisions for myself or pass away?
• What do I want to happen to my sample(s) if I pass away?
• What legal rights do my partner and/or I have to our sample(s) if we break up or one of us passes away?
• If I plan to use donor samples (i.e. sperm or egg donors), what rights does the donor have over the samples or the child that is created using their sample?
• Do I need a surrogacy or egg donor contract?
• Who will have parental, legal, and financial responsibility for my child(ren) if I pass away? What about if my partner and I break up?

If you want to find a lawyer to help you get your legal ducks in a row, ask these questions to make sure they’re a good fit.

• What experience do you have in family building, fertility, and cancer legal issues?
• What state are you licensed in?
• What other services do you provide? (i.e. reviewing legal documents or finding an agency, donor, surrogate, or birth parents)
• How do you charge for services?

If you need assistance figuring out your rights or preparing documents, check out these resources.

• Triage Cancer – free one-on-one support for legal and financial issues
• Cancer Legal Resource Center – legal resources and hotline
• Academy of Assisted Reproductive Technology Attorneys – attorney directory
• National Infertility Association – attorney directory

Other Resources

Every situation is unique. We’ve compiled a list of trusted resources to help you find the information that suits your needs.

Emotional Support

Talking to people who are also going through it can make everything a whole lot easier.

• Fuck Cancer – patient and caregiver support groups
• Ulman Foundation – meetups and support groups
• B-Present Foundation – get consistent peer support
• CancerBuddy App – specific fertility preservation/family planning group
• Resolve – cancer infertility support group

Resources for LGBTQ+ Families

As a LGBTQ+ family, you’ll likely need to utilize fertility preservation/treatment options to grow your family, or consider adoption or fostering. 

• LGBTQ+ Family Building Options – information on the different options LGBTQ+ people have to have children
• Fertility Options for Trans Folks – an overview of fertility preservation options for transgender people
• National LGBT Cancer Network – resources for LGBT patients and survivors

Alternative Options if You’ve Opted Out

If you’ve opted out of preserving your fertility, but want to grow your family, you have options.

• Cancer Friendly Adoption Agencies – how to find adoption agencies who are welcoming to cancer patients and survivors
• Donor Options – information about using donor sperm, eggs, or embryos
• Surrogacy – everything you need to know about using a surrogate
• Adoption – everything you need to know about adoption

Sexual Health

Sexual health is an important part of life, but it can easily get pushed to the side when you’re going through cancer. Here are some resources to help you prioritize it again.

• Fuck Cancer Sex & Relationship Guides – information on how cancer affects sex and relationships and what you can do about it
• Reclaiming Intimacy – information on sexual health and cancer
• Physical Therapist Finder – use “pelvic oncology” and “pelvic pain” as search criteria
• Pelvic Guru – information about pelvic health
• Will2Love – self-help tools for sexual and fertility problems related to cancer

Oncofertility Resources We Trust

There’s a lot of information out there. Here are some of our favorite oncofertility resources.

• The Oncofertility Consortium
• Memorial Sloan Kettering
• Alliance for Fertility Preservation
• American Society for Reproductive Medicine

Resources for Healthcare Providers

There is always more to learn in order to best support your patients. Expand your knowledge of oncofertility through trainings, resources, and more.

• The Oncofertility Consortium – webinars and trainings specifically for medical providers
• AYA-O POWER – education and resources for oncology trainees to improve care delivery and outcomes for adolescents and young adults (AYAs) diagnosed with cancer