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SIGs > Fertility Preservation SIG > Terms of Reference

Terms of Reference

Approved 2026

Purpose/Mission Statement:

To advance equitable access to comprehensive fertility preservation services across Canada by promoting excellence in clinical care, research innovation, education, and advocacy for all individuals seeking to preserve their fertility, whether facing fertility-threatening medical conditions or pursuing planned fertility preservation to expand their reproductive lifespan.

Scope:

The Fertility Preservation SIG encompasses comprehensive areas of clinical and research interest, including:

  • Oncofertility care for children, adolescents, young adults, and adults with cancer requiring gonadotoxic treatments
  • Pre-treatment and post-treatment fertility preservation strategies and timing optimization
  • Pediatric and adolescent fertility preservation, including prepubertal patients and established techniques
  • Genetic and autoimmune conditions requiring fertility-threatening treatments
  • Gender-affirming care and fertility preservation for transgender and gender-diverse individuals
  • Planned fertility preservation for reproductive lifespan extension, including elective oocyte and sperm cryopreservation for social, educational, or career-related reasons
  • Ovarian tissue cryopreservation implementation and standardization as an established fertility preservation technique
  • Emerging technologies, including in vitro maturation and reproductive tissue engineering
  • Health equity and access issues affecting marginalized populations across all fertility preservation indications
  • Financial coverage advocacy and policy development for both medical and planned fertility preservation
  • Psychosocial support and decision-making counseling for diverse fertility preservation scenarios
  • Long-term outcomes research and reproductive health optimization across the lifespan

Mandate:

  • Clinical Excellence: Assist in the development of evidence-based guidelines and best practices for fertility preservation across diverse patient populations, medical conditions, and planned scenarios
  • Research Innovation: Promote collaborative research initiatives to advance fertility preservation technologies, improve success rates, optimize timing strategies, and enhance patient outcomes across all indications
  • Education and Training: Provide comprehensive educational resources for healthcare providers, patients, and families about the full spectrum of fertility preservation options, including medical and planned preservation, timing considerations, and decision-making processes
  • Established Technique Implementation: Promote the widespread adoption and standardization of ovarian tissue cryopreservation across Canadian fertility centers as an established, non-experimental fertility preservation option
  • Equity and Advocacy: Champion equitable access to fertility preservation services regardless of indication (medical or planned), age, diagnosis, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, gender identity, geographic location, or insurance coverage
  • Policy Development: Advocate for supportive healthcare policies, financial coverage frameworks, and regulatory guidelines that facilitate access to both medically-indicated and planned fertility preservation services
  • Interdisciplinary Collaboration: Foster partnerships between reproductive endocrinologists, embryologists, oncologists and other pediatric specialists, mental health professionals, genetic counselors, and other healthcare providers serving patients across the fertility preservation spectrum
  • Patient-Centered Care: Promote comprehensive, culturally sensitive approaches that respect diverse family-building goals, reproductive autonomy, and life planning decisions for both medical and non-medical fertility preservation
  • Knowledge Translation: Bridge the gap between research findings and clinical practice to ensure rapid implementation of evidence-based innovations in all areas of fertility preservation
  • Reproductive Lifespan Optimization: Advance understanding of optimal timing, counseling approaches, and outcomes for planned fertility preservation to support informed reproductive decision-making
  • Societal Impact: Address the broader implications of fertility preservation on family planning, workforce participation, and reproductive health across diverse populations and life circumstances

 

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