Objectives Cancer care advances allow more patients to pursue fertility. Unfortunately, treatments may have detrimental effects on fertility and fetus should pregnancy occur. This study examines physician documentation and patient perceptions of fertility and contraception counseling.

Methods IRB approval obtained for a cross-sectional study of men and women, ages 18–50, with newly diagnosed malignancy between May 2017 and 2018. Prior sterilization, secondary or synchronous cancer, or prior chemotherapy were exclusionary. Consented patients received a survey regarding perception on receipt and quality of, counseling. Demographic, sexual, and social information was obtained. Differences were evaluated using chi-square tests.

Results Fifty-three of 179 patients identified participated. Majority were women (75 v 25%). Patients were more likely to have perceived counseling for contraception and fertility than documented. The majority perceived counseling as sufficient regarding contraception and fertility.

Men were more likely than women to be perceive counseling regarding fertility (85 v 43%, p=0.010). However, both felt fertility counseling to be sufficient with similar rates of documentation. Caucasians were more likely to perceive receipt of fertility counseling (68 v 29%) and to perceive it to be sufficient (70 v 40%), then African Americans, with the same rate of documentation (35%).

Conclusions Significant discrepancies in perception counseling regarding contraception and fertility were seen. Gender and race were important factors for the perception of fertility counseling, while only race was a factor to quality of perceived counseling. These differences occurred despite equal rates of physician documentation, across all groups.