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