As you age, your reproductive health changes simultaneously, prompting women to start considering their options for family planning. While you might have heard of fertility treatments like in Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) and Intrauterine Insemination (IUI), one increasingly popular fertility preservation option is egg freezing, a process that allows women to preserve their eggs for future use. However, there are so many questions people have when opting for egg freezing, which is why we at OnlyMyHealth spoke to Dr N Sapna Lulla, Lead Consultant - Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Aster CMI Hospital, Bengaluru, to not only understand what egg freezing is but to also know when it is the right age to choose this option.
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What Is Egg Freezing And Who Should Consider It?
“Oocyte cryopreservation, or commonly known as egg freezing, is a medical treatment through which females can preserve their ova for later use,” explained Dr Lulla, adding, “It seems particularly useful for those who might want to delay motherhood for various individual, occupational, or health-related reasons.”
Egg freezing involves stimulating the ovaries with hormones to produce multiple eggs, which are then retrieved through a small surgical procedure. The eggs are then frozen and stored through a process called vitrification, which preserves them for future use. When needed, the eggs can be thawed, fertilised, and implanted in the uterus for pregnancy.
According to Dr Lulla, women who will inevitably suffer medical conditions after or prior to cancer treatments or who are not yet willing to start trying for children but want to preserve the option should consider this service.
Several factors must be weighed in the decision to freeze eggs—age being the primary one, since the quality and quantity of a woman's ova decline with time. Additionally, the financial implications are considerably important since the process could be expense-intensive, also potentially including continuous maintenance costs.
At What Age Should Women Consider Freezing Their Eggs?
Dr Lulla said, "The choice of optimal time for women to consider the possibility of egg freezing determines the future chances of fertility. Such a practice is recommended when women value the possibility for the first time in their late twenties and early thirties." She explained that this particular period is often related to a better number and quality of oocytes that will supposedly enhance the possibility of successful fertilisation and subsequent pregnancy.
The doctor highlights that the quality of female eggs declines with age, especially if one waits until after the age of 35.
Compared to age, personal factors such as health conditions, professional aspirations, and an individual's lifestyle decisions hold much greater sway over this decision-making process, she added.
Also Read: Is There A Surge In Egg Freezing Among Career-driven Young Women?
What Is The Success Rate Of Pregnancy From Egg Freezing?
It is important to note that the quality in oocytes, or a developing egg, decreases mainly due to the natural decrease in ovarian reserve as a result of a decline with ageing. The reduced number of eggs also tends to have more chromosomal abnormalities, which lowers fertilisation rates and increases the risk of miscarriage.
As far as the success rate from egg freezing goes, it may vary significantly from person to person, based on the chronological age at which oocytes were frozen and the age of the female upon the time of implantation of the embryo.
Research shows that the younger the females are, the more successful it will be because their oocytes are of better quality; otherwise, most of them degenerate with age. This process of collecting and placing the eggs is very intricate. The rate of freezing and thawing the eggs after vitrification stands at 90% and 97%, respectively, says Dr Lulla, adding that the overall percentage success of fertilisation stands at about 75%.
Finally, the likelihood of the developed embryos attaching to the uterus is at about 25%. This makes the pregnancy rate fall in the range of 10-15%.
Conclusion
While egg freezing is an option many people choose, it may have some limitations, and some people may develop side effects like distension of the abdominal area, fluctuations in emotional character, or discomfort in the injection sites, warns Dr Lulla. It is therefore best to consult your doctor and determine the best course of action.