# Sleeping Spermatozoa: The Symbolism of Gamete Cryopreservation in the Context of Cancer in AYAs

## TL;DR

This paper explores the psychological impact of sperm freezing on young cancer patients and suggests symbolic interpretations and a documentary to support them.

## Contribution

The paper introduces a symbolic interpretation of sperm banking and an original video documentary to aid AYAs in fertility preservation.

## Key findings

- Sperm banking success depends on balancing facilitators and barriers for AYAs.
- Fairytales and childhood landmarks influence perceptions of sperm freezing.
- A documentary is proposed to help AYAs understand and adhere to fertility preservation.

## Abstract

For adolescents and young adults (AYAs) with cancer, fertility preservation is recommended before starting gonadotoxic treatments. This is an important aspect of psychological support in the treatment of the disease. However, the enormous psychological impact of this procedure on adolescents and young adults with cancer needs to be addressed by professionals. The traumatic nature of cancer diagnosis disrupts the psychosocial development of AYAs. A young adolescent’s perception of reproduction, and in particular of sperm freezing, is greatly altered by the disease. For a teenager, the success of sperm banking results from a positive balance between facilitators and barriers, which are mentioned here. Moreover, this article proposes a symbolic interpretation of sperm banking, referring to landmarks integrated during childhood, especially in fairytales. Furthermore, it offers an original video documentary that can be used as an information support to help AYAs adhere to the process of preserving their fertility through sperm freezing.