Counseling Adolescents About Fertility
There are a variety of factors which affect the content and timing of fertility counseling among adolescent cancer survivors. These factors may include patient sex, pubertal status, developmental level, cognitive capacity, psychological functioning and patient/family desire for information. Studies suggest that AYA patients prefer that information about their disease and cancer-related risks are communicated in a positive, respectful, and non-judgmental manner.(83) As adolescents are familiar with searching for information on the internet, it may also be helpful to provide them with reliable and recommended age-appropriate online resources, translated to their native languages if needed.(20,84) Peer support programs to assist adolescent survivors have been shown to promote positive psychosocial growth,(20) and may also be an option for broaching the topic of fertility. Key considerations for discussing fertility with AYA cancer survivors are outlined in table 3.