"Fertility preservation is done before a patient is put on treatment. Patients are therefore expected to consult with experts on the best way of protecting their fertility," said Dr Ogweno.
But the uptake of fertility preservation in Kenya is low according to Ogweno due to lack of awareness, among the general population and health practitioners.
Bridgit is among patients who did not know much about egg harvesting, and when her gynecologist mentioned about, her goal was to treat cancer first.
"I learned about egg harvesting from my gynecologist, but it was too late, having undergone all the treatment," recalled Brigit. "Not many patients know about the freezing of their eggs,".
High cost is also a barrier to uptake, for example, harvested eggs are fertilized through In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) procedure, whose cost ranges between Sh450,000 and Sh700,000 depending on the hospital performing it.
Sperm harvesting is estimated at Sh40,000, and the annual fee for embryo/sperm storage ranges between Sh30,000 to Sh50,000.
Preserved embryo and eggs can be kept for more than 20 years, depending on their handling.
Extraction of ovaries is also costly. In some instances, doctors may have a section of the ovary removed, and have it patched back after treatment, while in some, the stimulation for the growth of eggs is conducted in the laboratory.
First consultation for tissue fertility preservation is at about Sh4,000 and Sh3,000, for a return consultation visit.
"Fertility preservation is an intensive, and costly procedure which majority of patients are not able to afford, as their primary goal is to have cancer treated.
Insurance covers should therefore consider enrolling patients within their scheme for quality care," observed Dr Ogweno.
A number of infertility are also temporary, for example, the ovarian suppression from chemotherapy and certain drugs is temporary, which preserves ovarian function.
Dr Kiarie added that after full recovery, patients are expected to consult with specialists to determine on when they can carry a pregnancy, or use IVF.
In circumstances where patients need to be put on treatment immediately, experts balance the risks and benefits of fertility issues.
Discussion related to fertility is therefore done prior to treatment, with individual patients, parents, and partners, for psycho-social support and counseling, more so, among women who have had their breasts removed.
"In the field of oncofertility, we try to maximize by doing certain interventions at the beginning, to maximize ability to retain fertility and yet treat optimally," added the medical oncologist.