Children's National is the only hospital in the Washington, D.C., area participating in the Oncofertility Consortium, an interdisciplinary research network of doctors, scientists and scholars with a shared goal to preserve fertility options for cancer survivors. We are one of the few hospitals nationwide with an Institutional Review Board (IRB) approved process for ovarian tissue freezing (cryopreservation), a fertility preservation option for young women which has now been deemed not experimental. We work closely with Shady Grove Fertility for girls who qualify for egg freezing.
Led by Jacqueline Maher, M.D., our team works closely with the Oncology team and Blood and Marrow Transplant team. We see patients with cancer, sickle cell disease, thalassemia and other disorders requiring gonadotoxic treatment. The Pediatric Gynecology team offers full counseling for patients, educating and empowering families to make informed decisions about treatment. Children's National doctors explain the age-appropriate options for fertility preservation so we can help protect patient choices about starting a family in the future. We also follow patients long term for premature ovarian insufficiency, hormone replacement, puberty induction and vulvar-vaginal graft vs. host disease.
The Consortium also created SaveMyFertility, an online resource for patients and parents about the initiative and how to participate in related research. In addition, the site provides links to a wide range of national and local resources, including forums for patients and families affected by cancer to chat, share their personal stories and help one another.
Hours and Appointments
Appointments are coordinated after referral from the primary oncologist or physician. Hematology and Oncology teams can contact our team.