Thinking About Egg Freezing?
Mature oocyte cryopreservation, also known as egg freezing, preserves a women’s ability to get pregnant in the future. Eggs harvested from the ovaries are frozen while unfertilized and stored for future use. When needed, the egg is thawed, combined with sperm in a lab, then implanted via in vitro fertilization (IVF). Here are 4 reasons hundreds of women benefit from egg freezing every year.
1. Egg freezing preserves reproductive health
Specific cancer treatments like chemotherapy can typically interfere with and sometimes end fertility. In addition, ovarian cancer might lead to the removal of the ovaries. With some cancer treatments’ impact on fertility, egg freezing still gives a chance to have a family. Infertility may be temporary or permanent according to the type and stage of cancer, the type of cancer treatment, and the age at the time of treatment. Egg freezing before treatment might enable a woman to have biological children later through IVF or surrogacy.
2. Pregnancy at a later date
Oocyte cryopreservation could be an excellent move for women who don’t have a suitable partner or are delaying marriage. On the other hand, women pursuing degrees or time-consuming career opportunities can freeze eggs at a younger age. The ability to freeze ensures access to healthy eggs later on, as the age of eggs increases the chances of fertility. Some companies even fund egg-freezing for female employees who wish to delay childbirth for professional reasons.
3. Your ovarian reserve and age
Women are born with a set number of follicles in the ovaries, and these follicles will become eggs during ovulation, and the ovarian reserve declines with age. The best reproductive years are often between 20 and 35, with egg supply falling every year. Therefore, freezing eggs at a young age can help women get pregnant at a suitable time without the worry of wasting fertile years.
4. Working around fertility issues
Sudden health problems may prompt some women to consider egg freezing. For example, chronic medical illnesses like infections or organ failure lead to infertility. In addition, conditions like sickle cell anemia, lupus, or endometriosis can affect fertility. Typically many women facing these medical complications choose egg freezing to ensure having a child in the future.
Don’t freeze on the decision
Freezing eggs provides women with peace of mind if family planning is on the cards in the future. Women with busy lives, chronic conditions, or infertility woes can use oocyte cryopreservation successfully. The success of frozen eggs depends on the age of the eggs, so the earlier women decide, the better. Doctors recommend starting a consultation with a fertility clinic to weigh all egg freezing options.
