Parenthood in young cancer survivors is more than a combination of motivation and capacity

Schmidt et al. (2016) recently reviewed published literature on the reproductive intentions and parenthood motivations of cancer survivors. The authors highlight cancer survivors’ incentives for entering parenthood and concerns about having children post-diagnosis. This welcome addition to the literature on parenthood in survivors of cancer in adolescence and young adulthood throws into sharp relief an important gap in current research: the experiences of cancer survivors who do become parents after cancer diagnosis. Between 1998 and 2004, the relative survival rate for Australians aged 12–24 years diagnosed with cancer was 85% (AIHW 2011). In theory, most of these young survivors had many years to consider and/or become parents.