Expanding Access to Fertility Preservation

 When young patients receive a cancer diagnosis, they often face overwhelming decisions about their futures, including the crucial option of fertility preservation. As an expert in reproductive health and fertility, H. Irene Su, MD, MSCE, is reshaping the future for young patients with cancer, empowering them to envision a life beyond their diagnosis. 

Su, associate director of EDI at Moores Cancer Center and a professor in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences at UC San Diego School of Medicine, was awarded a three-year, $750,000 grant from The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Equity in Access Research Program. Her project, “Impact of State Health Insurance Mandates on Affordability and Utilization of Fertility Preservation in Adolescents and Young Adults with Blood Cancers,” seeks to illuminate the often complex and inequitable landscape of fertility preservation for these patients. 

With over 15 years of experience in oncofertility research, Su aims to demonstrate the financial burdens faced by young patients with cancer. Using data from the Health Care Cost Institute, her research will assess the extent to which state laws mandating insurance coverage affect the affordability and utilization of fertility preservation services. 

“This is an important study with substantial policy and practice implications,” said Eric Cooks, PhD, senior director at The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. “We are thrilled to support Dr. Su’s work.” 

Su’s research will investigate how current state health insurance mandates impact the affordability and utilization of fertility preservation services. While infertility risks can be mitigated through options such as egg, embryo, sperm and ovarian tissue freezing before treatment, many young patients encounter significant barriers to accessing these vital services. These obstacles often stem from convoluted health insurance regulations, resulting in alarming disparities, particularly for those in under-resourced communities. 

“Our research suggests that fertility preservation mandates are not working as intended because of how the laws are written and how they are implemented by state insurance regulators, insurers and clinics before they reach patients,” Su explains. Her work aims to identify these gaps and shed light on the challenges patients face in navigating their reproductive options after a cancer diagnosis. 

Su hopes the findings will inform policymakers, insurers and advocates, ultimately shaping future legislation and best practices. Through this study, Su is committed to advancing equity in health care, ensuring that all young patients with cancer have access to essential fertility preservation services.