Perspectives and needs for fertility preservation decision-making in childbearing-age patients with breast cancer: A qualitative study

Objective

To explore the perspectives and needs related to fertility preservation decision-making in patients of childbearing age with breast cancer.

Methods

Semistructured face-to-face interviews were conducted in a tertiary hospital in Baoding, China from July to October 2023. Purposive sampling was used to ensure the diversity of samples. The interview guide is based on the literature review and the discussions within the research team. A traditional content analysis approach was used for data analysis.

Results

A total of 18 participants were interviewed. Three themes emerged from the data: conflicts between subjective desires and concerns, coexistence of objective benefits and challenges, and decision-making support needs. The conflicts between subjective desires and concerns included five sub-themes, the coexistence of objective benefits and challenges also included five sub-themes, and the decision-making support needs included two sub-themes.

Conclusions

Patients faced a difficult trade-off between desires and concerns, benefits, and challenges regarding fertility preservation decisions, with numerous unmet needs. Healthcare professionals should prioritize patients' fertility desires, providing timely fertility preservation information and adequate counseling after a cancer diagnosis. This approach can help alleviate unnecessary concerns, facilitate satisfactory decision-making, and improve patients' quality of life.