Egg freezing has been around for a long time; However, its importance has increased significantly in recent times. With increasing awareness about reproductive health and increased women’s empowerment, this advanced technology in reproductive care is becoming increasingly common among couples and individuals, offering them the chance to become parents later in life.
Freeze Your Eggs, Not Your Choice:
In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Dr. Swati Mishra, IVF specialist at Birla Fertility and IVF in Kolkata, shared, “The process of egg freezing, also known as oocyte cryopreservation, involves the extraction, freezing and storage of oocytes. A form of assisted reproductive technology (ART). Women’s eggs to preserve their ability to reproduce later in life. Not only does it help women freeze their own eggs for later use, but the same technology also helps in the case of egg donation, where someone else’s egg is used for conception. Since women are born with a limited number of eggs, the quality and quantity of which begin to decline in their late 30s, egg freezing provides an effective way to preserve the quality of eggs for later use.
He revealed, “Preserving healthy eggs at the most fertile age can increase the chances of a healthy pregnancy without the risk of genetic abnormalities or miscarriage. When suffering from chronic diseases such as cancer, autoimmune conditions or ovarian problems, freezing eggs early can protect them from the harmful effects of treatments such as chemotherapy or other medications that can impair fertility. Whether planning to conceive later in life due to career, studies, finding the right partner or choice, egg freezing is a proactive measure to preserve fertility without worrying about the potential impact of age or health on your chances of conceiving. Is.
Although freezing eggs is a great technological advancement that improves the chances of conception in the late 30s and 40s, it does not guarantee pregnancy or live birth all the time. Dr Swati Mishra explains, “Every pregnancy brings with it certain risks as many factors come into play when trying to conceive and the availability of a healthy egg is one of them. In some cases, even if the embryo has developed, there is a slight risk of abnormalities, miscarriage, and failed implantation.
The Truth About Egg Freezing: Is It Right for You?
Dr. Tanya Bakshi Rohatgi, Director, Reproductive Medicine, Onco – Fertility and IVF at Max Super Specialty Hospital, Panchsheel Park, Delhi, brings her expertise to the discussion, “Elective egg freezing is a new promising fertility treatment that allows a woman to Helps in working. Sidestep her body’s biology with the benefit of freezing her eggs at an early age and give her the chance to plan a pregnancy at her own pace without stressing about her biological clock or her career goals or finding the right partner. Women are born with a fixed number of eggs, the quality and quantity of which decline with increasing age. This decline varies between women and also depends on other parameters, for example lifestyle factors such as smoking and the woman’s weight and her overall medical condition.
She elaborated, “Elective egg freezing, or oocyte cryopreservation, is an IVF procedure that involves taking fertility hormonal injections, usually for about 8-14 days, along with ultrasound monitoring to assess the response of the ovaries , after which a small surgical egg is taken. Recovery process under anesthesia. The mature eggs are frozen in the IVF lab by a process called fast freeze-vitrification, which can be used at a later stage when she is ready for pregnancy. Testing a woman’s egg reserve – Ovarian reserve test – Ultrasound and blood hormonal tests – FSH, LH, estradiol and AMH are done during days 2-5 of her menstrual cycle to assess her egg reserve and plan treatment. Plans can be made.
According to Dr. Tanya Bakshi Rohatgi, the best time to undergo this procedure is in the 20s and early 30s. “At 35 years of age or younger, freezing about 10-14 mature eggs gives a good chance of future conception compared to about 15-20 mature eggs as age increases beyond 35 years,” he said. Therefore, more than one such cycle of freezing may be required to freeze enough mature eggs for optimal results. Recent studies have convincingly shown that infants born from fresh eggs versus frozen eggs had similar live birth rates and health outcomes. This procedure may also be offered to women who are undergoing surgery for medical conditions such as severe endometriosis or even to cancer patients prior to cancer treatment, which may affect fertility. This process is not limited to single women, even married women can be offered this option, giving them the benefit of sole ownership of their eggs.
The fertility specialist warned, “The medical risks associated with this treatment are those that may result from the elevated hormone levels that occur with ovarian stimulation, such as mood changes, headaches, and ovarian hyper-stimulation syndrome (OHSS). Women may also experience pain, cramping, and swelling after an egg retrieval procedure. There is a cost to freeze eggs and an annual storage fee that can vary between centres, with the additional cost of thawing and fertilizing the eggs to create embryos when they are ready for pregnancy. The success of this freezing process also depends on the skill, therefore, centers with well-trained professionals give the best results. Furthermore, this approach does not guarantee future pregnancy. This valuable option gives a woman both the choice and flexibility to preserve her fertility without the stress of her biological clock ticking, while maintaining the possibility of natural conception at a later age.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions you may have about a medical condition.
