BEIJING, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- When five-month-old Linlin, a pseudonym, was diagnosed with a rare disease, her doctors took an important step. Before beginning treatment, they removed and preserved part of her ovary to protect her ability to have children in the future.

The treatment Linlin needed, a hematopoietic stem cell transplant, can be life-saving but often comes at a cost, as it may cause irreversible damage to ovarian function and fertility. When Linlin's mother learned of this risk, she was determined to do everything possible to safeguard her daughter's chance of becoming a mother.

Each year, a significant number of women and girls are diagnosed with either cancer or rare diseases, and even after successful treatment, many are left unable to have children because of chemotherapy, radiation or surgery, said Du Rui, chairperson of the China Women's Development Foundation.

This is not only a personal loss, but also an issue that impacts family happiness and social harmony, Du added.

With advances in medical technology, China has introduced a range of measures to help female patients preserve their fertility. As the country is working to save lives, it is also striving to improve the quality of lives.

BUILDING "NOAH'S ARK" FOR PATIENTS

Linlin's ovarian tissue is being stored in the cryobank at the Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital (BOGH), waiting to be "woken up" for the chance to serve as the source of new life.

This frozen "Noah's Ark" was initiated by Ruan Xiangyan, founding director of the department of gynecological endocrinology at the BOGH.

Since Ruan introduced the technology of ovarian tissue cryopreservation and transplantation to China in 2012, nearly 900 female patients suffering from cancer or rare diseases have had their ovarian tissue stored in this cryobank. Among those having their ovarian tissue transplanted, two have successfully given birth to healthy babies.

"It's a tragedy when treating an illness takes away the chance to have children," Ruan said. "We must protect women patients' right to motherhood."

In order to make ovarian freezing services accessible to more people, Ruan has helped train doctors from over 300 hospitals across the country for the past seven years. Thanks to collective efforts, a nationwide fertility preservation network has been established, allowing ovarian tissue from as far as Hainan, China's southernmost island province, to be transported to the BOGH cryobank within 24 hours.

Endometrial cancer, another women's health issue, used to be virtually a death sentence for a woman's chances of having children.

"Treatment for endometrial cancer often involves removing the uterus, which brings tremendous psychological pressure and a deep sense of loss due to the fertility impact for young patients," said Wang Jianliu, Party chief and deputy head of the Peking University People's Hospital.

More than a decade ago, Wang's team broke with conventional thinking by combining multiple medications and, when necessary, integrating traditional Chinese medicine in treating this form of cancer. This approach has achieved a complete remission rate of over 90 percent for endometrial cancer. So far, 109 patients treated via this method have given birth to new lives.

Wang envisions a future where an increasing number of cancer patients can undergo treatment with medications that safeguard both their health and their chances to become mothers.

ADDRESSING NEW CHALLENGES

Protecting fertility is not just a medical issue, as it also requires policy support and coordinated efforts across society.

The Chinese government has prioritized improving its population development strategy and establishing a policy system to boost birth rates.

In 2024, the Cancer Foundation of China, the China Women's Development Foundation and a pharmaceutical company signed strategic cooperation agreements to promote a full-chain cervical cancer prevention and control system, as well as a public-interest program designed to preserve women's fertility while preventing and treating cervical cancer.

Experts are also acting on this call. Zhuang Ya'er, secretary-general of the China Population Association, suggested incorporating oncofertility into the national fertility support system and improving health insurance coverage to ease the financial burden on patients.

Ruan has observed that many doctors remain unaware of the reproductive damage that chemotherapy and radiation can cause to patients. She has urged health administrations to mandate that medical institutions fully inform patients and their guardians about the potential severe impact of such treatments on ovarian function and fertility.

In building a childbirth-friendly society, Ruan believes that protecting the reproductive rights of patients is not only a medical challenge, but also a measure of civilization.

"Every life deserves respect, and every hope deserves to be safeguarded," she said. "Our efforts aim to help more women patients see light in the darkness."