# Assisted Reproductive Technology Use After Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer in North Carolina

> **NIH NIH F31** · UNIV OF NORTH CAROLINA CHAPEL HILL · 2021 · $35,909

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
Improving cancer survival trends among adolescent and young adults (AYAs) present an urgent need to
address their unique survivorship concerns and strive toward NCI's scientific priority to “ensure that cancer
survivors have the highest possible quality of life.” This fellowship will address the fertility challenges faced by
females with cancer and provide me with training and expertise to become an emerging cancer outcomes
researcher. Current gaps in cancer outcomes research related to assisted reproductive technology (ART)—
and specifically ART for fertility preservation—may contribute to lack of patient and provider knowledge and
low utilization rates, particularly among marginalized groups. Key evidence gaps include: (1) the extent to
which disparities exist in use of fertility preservation; (2) the impact of fertility preservation on time to cancer
treatment; and (3) reproductive success after ART, accounting for fertility preservation prior to cancer
treatment. Study aims will address these gaps by utilizing innovative and generalizable population-based data
linkages between the North Carolina (NC) Central Cancer Registry, the Society for Assisted Reproductive
Technology Clinical Outcomes Reporting System, and NC birth certificates. This linkage captures AYA (aged
15-39 years) females diagnosed with cancer in NC during 2004-2015 who utilized ART (with or without fertility
preservation prior to cancer treatment) through 2016 (n=370 estimated women). To examine disparities in
fertility preservation utilization (Aim 1), sociodemographic factors will be compared between AYA females with
cancer who underwent fertility preservation prior to cancer treatment and AYA females with cancer who did
not, accounting for clinical cancer characteristics. To examine the effect of fertility preservation on cancer
treatment delay (Aim 2), time to initiation of gonadotoxic cancer treatment will be compared between AYA
females with cancer who initiated ART for fertility preservation prior to cancer treatment and AYA females with
cancer who did not, accounting for clinical cancer characteristics. Lastly, pregnancy and birth rates will be
compared between AYA females with cancer who initiated ART for fertility preservation prior to cancer
treatment and AYA females with cancer who initiated ART after treatment (Aim 3). Study results can enhance
the evidence-base available to health care providers and patients to guide fertility-related decisions after
cancer. The fellowship training will take place in a supportive, resource-rich environment and will provide me
with clinical- and research-focused perspectives related to ART; active involvement with community-engaged
research; expertise in multilevel data analysis; diverse opportunities to disseminate my research; reinforcement
of ethical research conduct; and will promote my development as an emerging cancer outcomes researcher.
This fellowship will be an invaluable contribution to my caree...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10230020
- **Project number:** 1F31CA260787-01
- **Recipient organization:** UNIV OF NORTH CAROLINA CHAPEL HILL
- **Principal Investigator:** Clare E Meernik
- **Activity code:** F31 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $35,909
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2021-07-01 → 2022-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10230020

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10230020, Assisted Reproductive Technology Use After Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer in North Carolina (1F31CA260787-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-27 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10230020. Licensed CC0.

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