Fertility and Pregnancy
Disclaimer: These resources are regularly reviewed to ensure that links still work correctly and the resources listed continue to be helpful to our visitors. If you find that a link isn't working or information is incorrect or if you'd like to have your own organization listed here, please email thedirectory@lls.org.
Because we want to be sure that our visitors find the most relevant resources, we've listed these organizations in order of relevancy from most specifically relevant to most generally relevant to the topic of this page.
2-1-1
Population served: Everyone in the United States (check the website for availability in your area)
2-1-1 is the telephone number of a call center that offers information and provides referrals to health and human services for everyday needs and in times of crisis. Services vary from community to community.
Examples of service referrals include:
- Basic human need resources: food banks, clothing, shelters, rent assistance and utility assistance
- Physical and mental health resources: medical information lines, crisis intervention services, counseling, drug and alcohol intervention
- Employment support: unemployment benefits, financial assistance, job training, transportation assistance and education programs
- Support for older Americans and persons with disabilities: home healthcare, adult daycare, congregate meals, Meals on Wheels, respite care, transportation and homemaker services
- Support for children, youth and families: childcare, family resource centers, summer camps and recreation programs, mentoring, tutoring and protective services
Fertile Hope
Contact: (866) 965-7205
Population served: Cancer patients and survivors in the United States
Fertile Hope, a LIVESTRONG initiative, provides reproductive information, support and hope to cancer patients and survivors whose medical treatments present the risk of infertility.
- The Sharing Hope Program for Men increases access to sperm banking for newly diagnosed cancer patients whose medical treatments present the risk of infertility. This program does not provide funding to patients but instead has worked with companies and clinics to arrange for discounted services for eligible male cancer patients
- The Sharing Hope Program for Women increases access to egg and embryo freezing for newly diagnosed cancer patients whose medical treatments present the risk of infertility. Fertile Hope does not provide funding to patients but instead has worked with companies and clinics to arrange for discounted services and donated medications for eligible female cancer patients
- Responds to inquiries via telephone and email
- Provides information about health insurance coverage regarding fertility
- Provides information about adoption resources
- Provides educational materials
RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association
Contact: (703) 556-7172
Population served: People in the United States
The mission of RESOLVE is to provide timely, compassionate support and information to people who are experiencing infertility and to increase awareness of infertility issues through public education and advocacy.
- Offers two types of support groups in the community - a professionally led and a peer-led support group
- Provides free TeleSeminars on a variety of topics
- Offers community-sponsored educational programs
- Offers online support services, bulletin boards and an online resource library
- Provides a Directory of Services, listing more than 800 physicians, therapists and adoption resources
American Fertility Association (AFA)
Contact: (888) 917-3777
Population served: Adult patients and healthcare providers worldwide
AFA provides information about fertility treatments, reproductive and sexual health and family - building options, including adoption and third-party solutions.
- Provides a call center with information about support groups and other patient issues
- Offers online information about options, medical treatments, coping techniques and legal/insurance issues
- Provides online education materials and newsletters for patients and professionals
- Offers support via online message boards, a weekly chat series and a daily blog
- Offers the teleconference Coaching Groups
- Provides a listing of reproductive specialists and therapists in the United States
American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM)
Contact: (205) 978-5005
Population served: Patients and healthcare providers in the United States
ASRM is dedicated to the advancement of the art, science and practice of reproductive medicine through education, research and advocacy.
- Produces online information, fact sheets and booklets about fertility and related concerns
- Provides an online directory of M.D. or D.O. physicians who are active members of ASRM
- Provides publications on fertility insurance issues
- Provides a list of reading materials compiled for ASRM members and their patients
The Center for Women's Reproductive Care (CWRC)
Contact: (646) 756-8282
Population served: U.S. women whose medical treatments present the risk of infertility
CWRC's mission is to provide quality and compassionate healthcare to patients, respond to the needs of the community and provide comprehensive training for practitioners and researchers in the field of fertility.
- Provides information about reproductive services, including high-risk obstetrics, infertility and reproductive endocrinology
- Provides information about two fertility options - embryo and egg freezing - to consider before cancer treatments
- Works with several nonprofit organizations to help with financial coverage
- Provides a Preserving Fertility program based on financial need
- Offers an M.D. search
- Provides information about current research and clinical trials
Surviving and Moving Forward: the SAMFund for Young Adult Survivors of Cancer (the SAMFund)
Contact: (866) 439-9365
Population served: U.S. residents between ages 17 and 35 who have finished treatment
The SAMFund provides grants and scholarships to young adult survivors to help supplement money that was lost during treatment. The grants and scholarships help pay for transitional issues such as education, living, job search and lingering medical expenses.
- Provides grants for health and wellness (fertility, mental health, residual medical expenses and insurance supplementation)
- Applications in the form of letters of intent are reviewed annually
The International Premature Ovarian Failure Association (IPOFA)
Contact: (703) 913-4787
Population served: Women with premature ovarian failure (POF) and their partners worldwide
IPOFA provides community support, increases public awareness and works with healthcare professionals to better understand this condition.
- Provides an online list of organizations focused on infertility, adoption and clinical trials
- Offers Dr. Answer Line, an online service that invites questions to a medical expert regarding POF concerns
- Provides a bulletin board to share experiences and provide support
- Provides details about current research studies
- A membership fee provides a quarterly newsletter, a monthly eNewsletter, a confidential share list (names and addresses of women diagnosed with POF who are interested in networking) and a member rate for group-sponsored events and conferences
Hope for Two: Pregnant With Cancer Network (PWCN)
Contact: (800) 743-4471
Population served: Women diagnosed with cancer while pregnant worldwide
PWCN provides information, support and hope to women diagnosed with cancer while pregnant.
- Elyce Cardonick, M.D., (856) 342-2491, an active member of the PWCN Board of Advisors, is available to work with a patient's oncologist in discussing tests and procedures, to maximize the safety of the fetus while not compromising the chance of cure for the mother
- Offers peer-to-peer support by telephone and email
- Offers eNewsletters
- Maintains an ongoing registry of women diagnosed with cancer during pregnancy, with the intention to advance knowledge about cancer and pregnancy
Organization of Teratology Information Specialists (OTIS)
Contact: (866) 626-6847
Population served: Patients and healthcare providers in the United States and Canada
OTIS provides evidence-based clinical information about exposures during pregnancy and lactation. Teratology is the study of birth defects caused by exposures during pregnancy.
- Provides counseling to patients and healthcare professionals about exposures related to pregnancy and breastfeeding
- Provides some pregnancy education materials and fact sheets on specific exposure agents
- Conducts limited studies on some pregnancy exposures (please contact OTIS for more specifics)
- Provides information about pregnancy registries
- Check website for international availability
The Oncofertility Consortium
Population served: Children and young adult cancer patients, their loved ones, and medical professionals seeking information regarding fertility preservation.
The Oncofertility Consortium is a national, interdisciplinary initiative that was formed to address the complex health care and quality-of-life issues that concern young cancer patients whose fertility may be threatened by their disease or its treatment.
Offers several ways to obtain information, referral services and tools to assist in for concerns relating to fertility preservation including:
- FertLine (866-708-3378) is a national fertility hotline, housed at the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, that can provide information about fertility preservation and assistance in finding a local fertility preservation specialist.
- MyOncofertility.org is an interactive website that provides patient education resources to provide answers to cancer-related fertility questions, guidance for talking to physicians about fertility concerns, and a resource list of local and national cancer support groups and patient advocacy organizations.
