Fertility Preservation and Oncofertility in the UAE

Fertility preservation (FP) has always been an integral part of assisted reproductive technology (ART) for the treatment of couples with infertility. Simultaneously, the practice of female and male fertility cryopreservation has expanded in the UAE over the last few decades through major leaps in its healthcare system, improvements in ART with vitrification techniques, and advances in cancer screening and anticancer treatments, resulting in higher survivorship with a focus on reproductive health. Various gynecological, oncological, and benign medical diseases, as well as their treatments, can adversely hamper an individual’s fertility, and considering FP options as early as possible during the treatment planning phase allows the best chances for restoring the full range of reproductive potential. Among these options, embryo and oocyte cryopreservation are the most reliable modalities for women with partners and post-pubertal girls, respectively. While for males, ejaculated or testicular sperm cryopreservation remains the principle established modality for fertility preservation used for men and adolescents. This chapter discusses current available methods of female and male fertility preservation options in the UAE with their historical milestones, while highlighting opportunities and challenges for implementing other available novel strategies and improving multidisciplinary collaboration, which are fundamental to comprehensive fertility preservation care.