Innovative oncofertility program launched by RMA of New York and Mount Sinai Health System

Aug 15 2018

Empowers cancer patients by increasing awareness of and access to fertility preservation options

Reproductive Medicine Associates of New York (RMA of New York), a Manhattan-based fertility center, and the Mount Sinai Health System have launched an innovative, integrated oncofertility program at The Blavatnik Family – Chelsea Medical Center at Mount Sinai to provide individuals and couples the benefit of advanced medical technologies to help with someday building their families.

Oncofertility is the field of medicine focused on reducing the negative effects of cancer treatments on an individual's reproductive system. Oncofertility treatments include egg and embryo freezing, as well as sperm cryopreservation. The eggs, embryos, and sperm can be stored indefinitely until a patient or couple is ready to have children. The program has a committed and compassionate team of reproductive specialists who work closely with the oncology team to ensure integrated, seamless coordination and supervision of patient care.

"RMA of New York and Mount Sinai are committed to increasing awareness of oncofertility options," says Alan Copperman, MD, Director of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. "We provide a multi-disciplinary approach designed to empower patients during a very challenging time to realize the desire to have children. Arming patients with the knowledge of options available to them after cancer treatment is our goal."

Jovana Lekovich, MD, an RMA of New York physician and Director of the Oncofertility Program, will work in close collaboration with Mount Sinai oncologists to coordinate care and fertility preservation options for those entering into cancer treatment. "An important yet often overlooked aspect of cancer treatment is the frequent negative impact on human fertility. With the advancement of science, medicine, and technology, cancer survival rates have increased tremendously in the past two decades. By focusing on fertility preservation prior to cancer treatment, we focus on survival and quality of life after cancer," says Dr. Lekovich.

Dr. Lekovich is a board certified obstetrician and gynecologist and reproductive endocrinologist and infertility specialist. She specializes in all aspects of reproductive medicine and infertility, including conditions such as amenorrhea, polycystic ovary syndrome, and diminished ovarian reserve with ovulation induction, intrauterine insemination, in vitro fertilization, intracytoplasmic sperm injection, and preimplantation genetic testing of embryos.

"The Oncofertility Program together with the full range of oncology services offered at The Blavatnik Family – Chelsea Medical Center at Mount Sinai provides the most advanced fertility preservation techniques with the comfort and compassion that every cancer patient needs," said Luis Isola, MD, Medical Director of Mount Sinai Cancer.