Egg Freezing For Medical Reasons: Why More Women With Cancer Or PCOS Are Choosing To Preserve Fertility

In India, cancer cases are increasing rapidly, as per the ICMR data, indicating a surge from 14.6 lakh cases in 2022 to a likely figure of 15.7 lakh by 2025. Cervical and breast cancers remain the most prevalent among women, with serious health consequences.

Even as there is progress in chemotherapy and radiotherapy that has enabled improved survival rates, both treatments are known to impair fertility at the cost of leaving most women with reduced conception probabilities. In addition, conditions, such as Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), which affects nearly one out of every five Indian women, complicate reproductive wellness even further. During the process, egg freezing is becoming an active initiative enabling women to preserve their fertility and gain the happiness of motherhood in the future.

We spoke to Dr Nishi Singh, Head, Prime IVF, Gurugram, who explained the role of egg freezing for women dealing with medical issues such as cancer and PCOS.

Why Egg Freezing Is Preferred Among Cancer Patients

Cancer treatment, while life-saving, is also damaging to ovarian reserve. Egg freezing provides a safeguard before treatment. The process can now be initiated in a few days using ‘random-start’ stimulation protocols, with no significant delay to cancer therapy. “With the use of superior vitrification, frozen eggs have high survival and potential for fertilisation when thawed. For young women diagnosed with cancer, this leads to a situation where they don't have to make a decision between life-saving treatment and their hopes of having children,” explained Dr Singh.

Why Women with PCOS Opt for Egg Freezing

PCOS is the most frequent endocrine disorder in women and is usually characterised by ovulatory irregularities and hormonal disturbances. In some cases, many women with PCOS eventually conceive on their own, but for others, the uncertainty drives them to bank eggs when ovarian status is optimal. “One special benefit for PCOS patients is increased egg retrieval per cycle of stimulation, but this has to be weighed against safety to avoid OHSS. New techniques, such as antagonist protocols, GnRH-agonist triggers, and "freeze-all" protocols ensure that egg freezing is not only safe but also effective,” added Dr Singh.

What the Egg Freezing Procedure Entails

For both PCOS women and cancer patients, the procedure involves a couple of steps, like:

• Consultation and Coordination: Accelerated counseling by fertility experts facilitates well-timed planning.
• Ovarian Stimulation: Injectable hormones for about 10–14 days induce many eggs to grow.
• Egg Retrieval and Freezing: Mature eggs are retrieved under minimal anesthesia and vitrified to ensure quality.
• Special Considerations: In hormone-sensitive cancers, medications, such as letrozole are used to maintain estrogen safety during stimulation.

Safety and Effectiveness

Safety is the utmost priority in egg freezing. In cancer patients, studies indicate that cancer treatment is not delayed when fertility preservation is planned promptly. In women with PCOS, customised protocols reduce risk and increase the number of stored viable eggs. While success depends on age and number of eggs, numerous women have undergone healthy pregnancies with eggs frozen earlier, so the procedure is an encouraging option in uncertain situations.

IVF's Role in Medically Indicated Egg Freezing

In IVF, the most important thing is understanding the medical and emotional struggles women experience when faced with cancer or PCOS. The PCOS-safe and onco-fertility programs are formulated to offer:

• Fast-track preservation: Consultation to stimulation initiation in 48 hours.
• Individualised protocols: PCOS-optimised stimulation to reduce OHSS risk.
• Evidence-based treatment: Adherence to international guidelines in fertility preservation.

Bottomline

Dr Singh concluded, “It is no longer an option but has become a medical necessity for most women to have eggs frozen. For women undergoing cancer therapy or women with PCOS, egg freezing gives safety and a sense of control over the future of their family. With the help of advanced technologies and under expert guidance, women can now live their lives in the present without sacrificing their vision for the future.”