Glossary

Aromatase inhibitor

drugs that stop your body from making estrogen

BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutation

an inherited change in either of these genes is linked to an increased risk of breast cancer

Chemotherapy

cancer treatment that uses drugs to destroy cancer cells through your body

Cryopreservation

freezing through very low temperatures to preserve the structure of living tissue and cells

Cyclophosphamide

chemotherapy drug used to treat breast cancer

Estrogen

the main sex hormone in females

Fertility

having the ability to become pregnant naturally

Trastuzumab (Herceptin^®)

a targeted cancer treatment to treat HER 2+ positive cancer

Hormone therapy

treatment used to lower or block the amount of estrogen in your body

Infertility

not being able to become pregnant naturally

Menopause

time in life when your periods stop permanently and you are no longer able to become pregnant naturally

Miscarriage

loss of a pregnancy during the first 20 weeks of the pregnancy

Perimenopausal period

the period 10 to 13 years before menopause where your fertility goes down and your chances of having a natural pregnancy also go down

Natural pregnancy

the ability to become pregnant naturally without help from assisted reproductive technologies such as in vitro fertilization

Ovarian hyperstimulation disorder

when too many hormones are used to produce mature eggs for collection leading to painful and swollen ovaries

Ovarian function

your ovaries working normally to produce eggs

Ovarian suppression

a drug used to prevent your ovaries from making estrogen temporarily or permanently

Ovaries

a reproductive organ where your eggs are produced