It’s been thought that women who have battled with and survived cancer in their childhood would generally have fertility problems, but a recent feature on Medical News Today says that although cancer has increased the risk of infertility among these women, the chances of conceiving still remain good.

A study by researchers from the Dana-Farber/Boston Children’s Cancer and Blood Disorders Center and the Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston involved a survey given to 3,531 female cancer survivors who were diagnosed with the disease under 21 years old. Also included were 1,366 of the survivors’ sisters as control.

According to the reults, 455 of the participants initially reported that they were infertile, 64 percent of them managed to conceive at some point. Infertility was also said to be three times more common in childhood cancer survivors under the age of 24 than in their siblings, but this doesn’t apply much to those in their late 30s. The researchers are quick to point out, however, that infertility is common in the said age group and is not just limited to cancer survivors.

There are many treatments for infertility that women can take advantage of, but for female cancer survivors who are thinking of starting a family, it’s best to always consult with your oncologists for the proper and safe way to go about conception.

(Photo by Adam Piotrowski via Flickr Creative Commons)