Thirty-two year old Yissel Soto, an officer in the United States Army, was diagnosed with breast cancer in February 2008 and due to necessary treatment faced the additional heartache of losing her reproductive potential. Sadly, this is a common struggle for the 130,000 people each year in the US, diagnosed with cancer in the prime reproductive years and until recently, have had few fertility preservation options available to them.
After learning that the military IVF center was not able to accommodate Ms. Soto’s needs and that no other IVF centers around the country were prepared to do her cycle pro bono, Fertility Centers of Illinois (FCI) offered their support through a selection of cutting-edge fertility preservation options to be performed at no cost. FCI has long been committed to raising awareness of the expanded fertility options for women at risk of losing reproductive function and wanted to provide Ms. Soto the hope of preserving her ability to conceive biological children.
Once diagnosed, Ms. Soto quickly underwent both a lumpectomy and mastectomy, and was due to start chemotherapy one month after surgery. After exploring various fertility preservation methods, she decided to undergo embryo cryopreservation, a well-established technique that freezes embryos for later transfer. She currently has five embryos in storage for future use, which she will be able to use upon completing chemotherapy and finishing a five year course of tamoxifen, to aid in preventing recurrent cancer.
Dr Eve Feinberg, reproductive endocrinologist with the Fertility Centers of Illinois who treated Ms. Soto, also trained in the military system at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and was well known for her advocacy of fertility preservation. “We are so glad to be able to support Ms. Soto through this process,” she says. “With breast cancer being the leading cause of cancer among American women, it is critical that women be made aware of these fertility preservation options before cancer treatment begins,” she adds.
Ms. Soto adds that during such a tremendously difficult time in her life, the fertility process has provided a wonderfully positive experience for her and her husband. “We are sincerely grateful that FCI was willing and able to help us and that through these efforts, we may still be able to expand our family and conceive another child,” she says.
About Fertility Centers of Illinois:
Fertility Centers of Illinois, S.C., is one of the nation’s leading infertility treatment practices, providing advanced reproductive endocrinology services in the Chicago area for over 30 years. FCI has more babies born than the next ten centers combined with high success rates that are recognized throughout the nation. In addition to a team of nationally recognized reproductive physicians who stay current on the latest technology and procedures, FCI patients have access to many other unique support services, such as professional counseling from a licensed, Ph.D. clinical psychologist, patient advocates and innovative financial options. FCI is part of IntegraMed, the nation’s largest and most reputable network of fertility centers and has multiple offices conveniently located throughout the Chicago area. For more information visit www.fcionline.com
Embryo Cryopreservation Backgrounder:
Embryo Cryopreservation is the process of freezing embryos for future use. Advanced rapid freezing methods (vitrification), help achieve higher embryo survival by using high concentrations of cryprotectorant to solidify the cells into a glass-like state, without the formation of ice crystals (ice crystals within an embryo can cause damage). Embryos are then stored in batches of one or more, depending on the number that are likely to be transferred into the uterus at a later date. The team at FCI has used vitrification for the cryopreservation of embryos for over three years and has significantly higher than average success, with pregnancy rates at 43% using this technique. Further trial of various preservation methods continue to advance these technologies to a high scientific level.
Comments