Delaying pregnancy through fertility preservation is a common phenomenon these days. Whether it is due to career, health, or the inability to find a partner, freezing eggs gives you a chance to manage other important aspects of your life until you are ready to conceive. By freezing your eggs, you can pause your biological clock and keep the option of starting a family open for the future. It’s a way to take control of your plans and feel more confident about the choices ahead.
With advancements in medical science, this process has become increasingly reliable and accessible. However, before opting for this process, it is essential to learn how to preserve fertility through egg freezing, what to expect, and other critical aspects. Continue reading to know more.
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Egg freezing is a type of fertility preservation process called oocyte cryopreservation. It is a form of ART (Assisted Reproductive Technology) where medications are given for egg stimulation. These eggs are harvested, retrieved from the ovaries, and then frozen. When the woman is ready for conception, the eggs are thawed and then fertilised with sperm to form an embryo. Then, the embryo is implanted during the embryo transfer cycle into the uterus. While most people freeze their eggs to use them later, it is also done for egg donation, where the eggs are donated for use in fertility treatments. Irrespective of why egg freezing is done, storing eggs allows fertility preservation through egg harvesting at a younger age for later use. Though it does not guarantee a pregnancy, it boosts the chances of conception at a later age.
Certain conditions and illnesses put women at risk of fertility issues. This could be due to medication or surgery to treat the condition or because of the illness itself. The other egg freezing benefits include the ability to control their fertility and pursue professional and personal goals without any worry about the biological clock.
You may want to freeze your eggs if you are affected by the following conditions:
● Cancer: Cancer surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy may affect fertility
● Autoimmune Disease: Diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, etc., and their treatment may cause fertility issues.
● Reproductive Health Issues: Uterine fibroids and endometriosis may make conception and pregnancy difficult.
● Age: If you want to wait until you are in your 30s or 40s to have children, you should consider egg or sperm preservation before fertility declines. Reasons to delay having kids can be career aspirations, education, or waiting for the right partner.
● Gender Identity Issues: Gender change treatment may alter the reproductive abilities of a person. Saving eggs, sperm, or embryos before treatment is a good choice.
The egg freezing procedure can take approximately 2 to 3 weeks to complete. While timelines may slightly differ, most cycles get completed in 2 weeks. Stimulating egg production is typically timed with your periods for optimal results. Ultrasounds and blood tests are done regularly to check hormone levels.
The first thing is to consult a fertility doctor to discuss your plan for egg freezing. The doctor will schedule a medical exam, which includes noting the medical history, physical examination, blood test, and hormone testing. An ultrasound to get an AFC (antral follicle count) to check the eggs remaining in the ovaries is also performed. The fertility doctor will then recommend a protocol for ovarian stimulation to ensure retrieval of maximum eggs. You will also get an estimate of the possible number of eggs that can be retrieved.
Depending on your current periods and the physician’s recommendation, you should start the process by taking prescribed medications to help your follicles synchronise with medications. Ultrasounds and blood tests are done to ensure the stimulation injections are taken at the right time. Once you are ready for the injections, these have to be administered consecutively for 10 to 12 days. During these days, you will be monitored so that the medications can be adjusted based on how the body responds. By Day 5 or Day 7, ovaries may enlarge, and you may be advised against strenuous activities.
Typically, during the stimulation phase, 3 to 5 monitoring sessions are recommended to check the progress of the follicles. Once they reach a good size, a trigger shot is given.
This is the process where eggs are removed from the ovaries. General anaesthesia is administered during the egg retrieval process. A probe with a needle is inserted into the follicles. The follicles contain eggs in a fluid and are aspirated and collected into a tube and sent to an embryologist. The follicular fluid is examined, and the eggs are identified. The process takes about 20 minutes to complete, and once you are out of the anaesthesia, you will know the number of eggs retrieved. The count of eggs depends on your ovarian reserve and age. Older women have fewer eggs than younger women under 35 years.
Within a few hours of egg retrieval, the collected eggs will be frozen through the vitrification process. Liquid nitrogen is used for rapid freezing to minimise ice crystal formation on eggs and is aimed at a better survival rate.
Most women who undergo egg freezing have discomfort during the injection phase, along with cramping, constipation, bloating, and vaginal spotting in the first 24 hours of egg retrieval. Rarely, some may experience OHSS or ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome. It can happen when the medication to stimulate the ovaries may cause high hormone levels, leading to fluid leakage into the abdomen, ovarian enlargement, and electrolyte abnormalities. As per research, women below 35 have this side effect, and so do women with low BMI and PCOS.
Other side effects include:
● Hormone fluctuations
● Stress
● Skin irritation at injection sites
● Ovarian torsion is a rare, painful condition when the ovaries twist and compromise the blood supply.
On the day of the procedure, consider having a partner, friend, or someone reliable with you. Wear comfortable clothes, and relax during and after the procedure. You may need a few days to recover from the side effects of egg retrieval. Follow a good diet and reduce alcohol and caffeine intake. Follow the doctor’s instructions, especially when asked to avoid strenuous activities. Because of the hormone injections, you may have mood swings and stress.
Thanks to modern medicine, preserving your fertility now for future pregnancy is easy. Some people do it for health reasons, and others to delay starting a family until they feel emotionally, financially, and personally ready to embrace parenthood. For those who may not need their frozen eggs, donation is a selfless option that can give others the chance to build their families. Whether for personal use or donation, this choice offers hope and empowerment. Ultimately, it’s a choice that offers hope and control over your future.
If you are interested in learning more about fertility preservation, talk to your doctor about your options so you can make informed decisions.
To preserve fertility, to delay starting a family, medical reasons, and personal reasons.
About 60 to 99% of the frozen eggs survive the freezing process.
The egg-freezing process is not painful but can be uncomfortable.
Yes. It can be used for fertility treatments like IVF.
