For how long should a patient pause their hormone treatment in the lead up to gamete storage? Should all hormone treatments be paused?

It is important to note that there is no guarantee that there will be a full return to fertility following gender affirming hormones. Where fertility does return, expert opinion places it in the range of three-six months, though it can take longer. For those youth in whom the pubertal process has been suspended in the earliest stages, followed by administration of gender-affirming hormones, development of mature sperm or eggs is unlikely. Most fertility specialists recommend that you stop taking your medication to increase your chance of pursuing biological fertility. We realize how distressing this can be to those individuals in transition and as such recommend fertility counselling prior to starting transition so that all possible alternatives can be carefully considered.

For further reference please consult the latest research on fertility options.