Chemotherapy uses drugs to kill or slow the growth of cancer cells. These drugs travel throughout the body and are designed to affect fast-growing cells such as cancer cells.
This means chemotherapy can also damage other cells that grow quickly, including those in the ovaries and testicles. The risk of infertility depends on the type of drugs used, the dose and your age.
Effect on ovaries
Some chemotherapy drugs can stop the ovaries from working properly and releasing eggs (ovulation). If chemotherapy destroys or damages eggs, your body won’t be able to replace them.
Chemotherapy drugs can cause your periods to become irregular or even stop for a while. Depending on your age, number of eggs and the amount of chemotherapy you’ve had, your periods may return within a year of finishing treatment. If your periods do not return, the ovaries may have stopped working permanently, causing premature or medically induced menopause.
Effect on testicles
The effects of chemotherapy on the sperm you make may be temporary or permanent if the cells in the testicles are too damaged to produce healthy, mature sperm.
Effect on your heart and lungs
Some chemotherapy drugs can affect your heart and lungs. If this causes long-term damage, it may make a future pregnancy and birth more difficult. Your specialist will talk to you about what precautions to take during pregnancy.
Learn more about heart health and cancer.
If you have both chemotherapy and radiation therapy (chemoradiation) to treat cancer, the risk of
permanent infertility is higher.
→ READ MORE: The impact of radiation therapy on fertility
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Dr Sally Reid, Gynaecologist and Fertility Specialist, Obstetrics and Gynaecology (Adelaide) and Royal Adelaide Hospital, SA; Dr Sarah Ellis, Clinical Psychologist and Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Kids Cancer Centre, Sydney Children’s Hospital and UNSW, NSW; John Booth, Consumer; Hope Finlen, Haematology Nurse Consultant, Gold Coast University Hospital, QLD; Dr Michelle Harrison, Medical Oncologist – Gynaecological cancers, Chris O’Brien Lifehouse, NSW; Melissa Jones, Nurse Consultant, Youth Cancer Service SA/NT, Royal Adelaide Hospital, SA; Dr Violet Kieu, Clinical Director, Melbourne IVF and Fertility Specialist, The Royal Women’s Hospital, VIC; Prof Declan Murphy, Consultant Urologist, Director – Genitourinary Oncology, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre and The University of Melbourne, VIC; Stephen Page, Family and Fertility Lawyer, and Legal Practice Director, Page Provan, QLD; Ann Retzlaff, 13 11 20 Consultant, Cancer Council WA; A/Prof Kate Stern AO, Fertility specialist, Gynaecologist and Reproductive Endocrinologist, Royal Women’s Hospital and Melbourne IVF, VIC; Georgia Webster, Consumer.
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