Sidra Medicine ensures rapid, culturally sensitive fertility care for women with cancer

Doha: While breast cancer is widely recognised for its physical and emotional toll, a less discussed but deeply personal impact lies in its effect on...

Doha: While breast cancer is widely recognised for its physical and emotional toll, a less discussed but deeply personal impact lies in its effect on women’s fertility. According to Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Chair of Women’s Services at Sidra Medicine, Dr. Johnny Awwad, fertility loss remains one of the most distressing consequences for young breast cancer patients, which can often be prevented through early medical intervention.

“Breast cancer is the most common cause of cancer in young women,” said Dr. Awwad. “Chemotherapy protocols can damage the ovaries and deplete egg reserves, sometimes leading to temporary or permanent infertility. For women in their reproductive years, this can be devastating, especially as diagnosis often coincides with the time they are planning to start families,” he told The Peninsula.

Dr. Awwad explained that among various breast cancer treatments, chemotherapy poses the greatest risk to fertility, as the drugs are toxic to the rapidly dividing cells in the ovaries. Radiation therapy can also harm the ovaries if the pelvis is targeted, while hormonal therapies such as tamoxifen and aromatase inhibitors mainly delay, rather than destroy, ovarian function.

However, the professor emphasised that fertility preservation options today are far more advanced and accessible than in the past. “The most established methods are egg and embryo freezing, ideally performed before treatment begins,” he said. “When time is short, ovarian tissue freezing offers an alternative. We also use medications to temporarily ‘switch off’ the ovaries during chemotherapy, offering partial protection from damage.”

At Sidra Medicine, women diagnosed with cancer receive rapid, coordinated care that balances urgency with long-term reproductive planning. “We provide appointments within 24 hours to ensure fertility discussions don’t delay cancer therapy,” Dr. Awwad said.