Can fertility treatments cause cancer?

Short answer

Current evidence does not show that fertility drugs or IVF increase the risk of most cancers. That is reassuring news for anyone considering treatment. The one signal that appears in some studies is a small increase in borderline ovarian tumors, which are rare and usually highly treatable. Much of the historical worry comes from the fact that infertility itself and not having been pregnant can raise certain risks, which makes the research easy to misread.

What the evidence suggests

Most large reviews have not found higher rates of breast, colon or cervical cancer after fertility treatments. There is no clear link with uterine cancer once underlying infertility is accounted for. For ovarian risk, results are mixed: invasive ovarian cancer does not consistently rise after treatment, while several studies have noted a small uptick in borderline ovarian tumors. These are uncommon, tend to be diagnosed early, and generally have excellent outcomes.

Why the headlines can sound confusing

People enter treatment with very different backgrounds. Age, endometriosis, PCOS, family history and not having carried a pregnancy all influence baseline risk. If a study does not fully adjust for those factors, the medicines can look riskier than they are.

How to use this information

Your decision should be guided by your goals, diagnosis and timeline, not fear. If you have a strong family history of breast or ovarian cancer or a known genetic risk, tell your clinician early so your plan reflects that. If you are considering egg freezing or IVF, your clinic may also recommend an antral follicle count ultrasound to help plan medication dosing and expected egg yield.

Where Strawberry fits

Before you choose or escalate treatment, it helps to understand your starting point. Strawberry’s at-home panels give you lab-grade hormone context without the clinic runaround, and every member receives a Personalized Fertility Timeline that turns results into next steps. Our tests do not screen for cancer, but they do help you and your provider decide when to try, when to preserve fertility, and when to recheck.

Choose the panel that fits your goal

Ovarian Reserve Blood Test (AMH): for a quick look at egg quantity that can inform planning or an egg-freezing consult.

Fertility Blood Test (AMH, FSH, estradiol): for early-cycle context when you are weighing timed intercourse, IUI or IVF.

Women’s Health Panel: for a broader hormone view when you want fertility insight alongside day to day energy, sleep, mood, training and symptoms.

Bottom line

Based on what we know today, fertility treatments are not linked to an increased risk of most cancers. You can move forward with a plan that reflects your personal history and goals, supported by clear data. If you start with an at-home panel and your Personalized Fertility Timeline, you can walk into any consultation with confidence and focus on what matters most: building the family you want, on a timeline that works for you.