Exploring the Potential of Egg Freezing
In the ever-evolving landscape of reproductive medicine, advancements continue to empower individuals with ovaries to make informed choices about their fertility options. One such groundbreaking innovation is egg freezing, also known as cryopreservation of egg cells. This blog post will dive into some reasons someone may pursue egg freezing, what the general process is like, and resources to learn more.
Understanding Cryopreservation of Egg Cells
Cryopreservation, a term derived from "cryo" (meaning cold) and "preserve," involves freezing egg cells at extremely low temperatures to maintain their viability for an extended period. In the context of egg cells, this process allows individuals to preserve their eggs at a younger age, when the eggs are more viable, for use at a later stage in life. It is important to know that even if eggs are cryopreserved, they may not withstand being unfrozen or able to be fertilized by sperm. While people have described egg freezing as fertility insurance, it is not guaranteed to end with a child.
Reproductive Autonomy
The ability to freeze and store egg cells has revolutionized the way society views fertility and parenthood. It offers a newfound sense of control over reproductive choices, enabling individuals with ovaries to pursue education, career goals, or personal aspirations without the constraints of an often-ticking biological clock. However, it also pushes the conversations of child bearing to later ages and may provide false hope to some as it does not ensure a child.
Cryopreservation offers hope to those diagnosed with medical conditions that might compromise their fertility, such as cancer treatments, as it provides an option to preserve eggs prior to undergoing therapies that might affect fertility.
It can be a reasonable option to consider if someone knows they are going to utilize PGT-M in the future because of a personal genetic diagnosis or a couple’s carrier status but are not ready to start building their family in their younger years. One factor to consider with PGT-M is that it selects embryos without the genetic condition, so there are less embryos available to transfer. A way to increase the number of potential embryos available for transfer is to increase the number of overall embryos. If someone pursues PGT-M in their later years, then it may be difficult to create many embryos from the start, so by freezing their egg cells at younger ages, there may be the ability to produce more embryos later. It is uncertain just how much of an impact this will make, but it is one option to consider when someone already knows that one day they will be pursuing PGT-M.
The Cryopreservation Process
The cryopreservation of egg cells involves several intricate steps to ensure the best chances of success.
Step One: Preparation
Meet with reproductive endocrinologist to go over your personal situation and health. During this consultation, blood tests may be performed, including evaluating your AMH levels to give a window into how many eggs you may be able to retrieve to help set expectations.
Understand the egg freezing process and costs. This will vary between person and clinic.
Recurring storage fees is and the decision to continue storing the egg cells may be a constant conversation.
Understand what it would look like to utilize the egg cells and the subsequent IVF procedure.
Step Two: Stimulation
Your clinic will walk you through how to give yourself the abdominal shots, how often, and at what dose. Find a way to help keep yourself on track with the dose in the event this number changes.
Make sure your doctor has reviewed with you how you may feel during this process and what to look out for as concerns.
Shot are given for about 2 weeks and periodically, you will have visits with your doctor to check in and watch the response of your ovaries to the stimulation medication.
Step Three: Egg Retrieval
Your doctor will advise you when to have your last shot, called the trigger shot.
About 36 hours later, you will have your egg retrieval.
You are typically given anesthesia for the egg retrieval process. A vaginal ultrasound with a needle at the tip will be used to drain follicle fluid. The follicle fluid is where the egg should be, and the embryologist will look for it under a microscope.
It is likely you will need a ride after the retrieval. Plan to rest the day of retrieval.
5 or so days later, you should get your period, which may be heavier than typical, and this signals the end of the cycle.
Check in with your provider after the retrieval and to hear how many eggs were cryopreserved. Not all of the eggs retrieved will necessarily be cryopreserved.
Videos Breaking Down The Process:
Washington Post Break Down: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOGULDDWMeM
Personal Experience: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2FDcjCy9WY
REI Doctor Review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRa_tbN2eyg
Success Rates and Considerations
It's important to note that while the cryopreservation of egg cells has shown promising success rates, it does not guarantee future pregnancy. Factors such as the individual's age at the time of egg retrieval and the quality of the eggs play a significant role in the eventual outcome. The process also requires careful consideration, as it involves physical, emotional, and financial aspects. Storage of the egg cells will be a recurring payment and will need to be budgeted. There are also possible risks involved with cryopreservation of eggs cells such as ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS). Discuss risks with doctor, both short and long term.
Conclusion
Cryopreservation of egg cells has opened up a world of possibilities for individuals with ovaries. As science continues to advance, the cryopreservation process is likely to become even more refined. Check in with your doctor for what to expect for the process and even consider a second opinion, if possible.
Resources:
*resources listed can be informative, but their services are not necessarily endorsed by Modern Reproduction.
* This blog constitutes general information about genetic testing and medical screening. This blog does not offer or provide medical advice or diagnosis, and nothing in this blog should be construed as medical advice or diagnosis. Do not rely on the information in this blog/article to make medical management decisions. Please consult with a medical professional before making those decisions. Do not delay in seeking professional medical advice if you think you have a medical concern. Do not disregard professional medical advice based on any information received in this blog.
