The fear surrounding fertility drugs and cancer grows by the minute, causing a lot of patients to go panicky about opting for in vitro fertilization (IVF). Fortunately, Mount Sinai Hospital director of division of reproductive endocrinology and infertility, Dr. Alan B. Copperman, provided some profound facts that will help clear up the hubbub as to whether or not fertility drugs cause cancer.
The good doctor categorically stated that there is "no evidence of fertility treatments causing cancer." He emphasized that the drugs have been used for more than seven decades and if ever there was any indication that they would cause cancer, the medical community would have already known.
In Romper, he enumerated three things regarding fertility drugs and cancer, which can help those who are planning to go the IVF way. They are as follows.
Zero in on the cause of infertility
Infertility can be caused by many factors. It is best that you should not make assumptions such as attributing age as a decrease in fertility because there are old women who produce better eggs than younger ones. It is, therefore, best that every health aspect be tested before starting any fertility treatment. This will help rule out possible complications later on, especially one that could have a relation to cancer.
Decrease your cancer risk by taking good care of your health.
Yes, this may sound cliché but taking care of one's health is the best defense against cancer. One doctor mentioned that many women focus on fertility so much that they forget other necessities in the process such as a regular Pap smear, mammogram and checkups. It is, therefore, best to stay healthy as much as possible.
Think of your physician as your confidant.
Don't hesitate to discuss fertility treatment with your physician. Ask all pertinent questions and the risks associated. If your fear is the relation between fertility drugs and cancer, try to bring it out in the open and discuss it with your doctor. Only listen to your physician's advice when it comes to these matters and not from a friend or a website.
While this may be the consensus of many doctors, there are still a number of people who are suspecting a possible link between fertility drugs and cancer. Daily Mail reports that a number of women, such as Sarah Parkinson, died shortly after undergoing IVF treatment.
Whether to believe that fertility drugs or IVF treatment cause cancer is up to you. There is still no scientific proof that the two are directly linked to each other. What do you think? Share your thoughts below.
