As a woman, when you age, chromosomal abnormalities, age-related infertility, and general reproductive disorders lower your propensity to start a family. Many women turn to egg freezing Newport Beach as a hedge against fertility unpredictability. Egg freezing has proven success rates despite the controversial claims on its viability. This article delves into what you should know before choosing egg freezing as an option to beat your biological clock.
What is egg freezing?
Egg freezing or oocyte cryopreservation stores unfertilized eggs in a subzero-cooled state to retrieve them at a future date. A reproductive endocrinologist may stimulate your follicles with hormones to produce more eggs during extraction. Upon retrieval, the doctor will fertilize your eggs in a lab and implant them in your endometrium.
Why do women freeze eggs?
Apart from the apparent reason for delaying your biological time to a date when you are ready, many factors influence why many women freeze their eggs. Egg freezing has sparked feminist debates that implied egg freezing is a reserve for career women. However, you can freeze your eggs if:
- You have medical reasons such as cancer. Chemotherapy tends to be harsh on the ovaries and affects egg quality. Autoimmune diseases also account for why women preserve eggs.
- Have egg quality concerns. Egg freezing helps you store potentially healthier eggs during your youth, enabling you to get a healthy progeny. There is no factual data to suggest eggs in your youth have higher quality than in your later years.
Despite the outright reasons, statistical data shows over three-quarters of women are freezing their eggs since they have partners. The anonymity of a sperm donor justifies the uptrend in egg freezing.
The egg freezing process
Before a reproductive endocrinologist starts the egg freezing process, they will do some screening blood tests to evaluate your fertility. There is no single test that can accurately determine your fertility. You may require several tests, including ovarian reserve testing and infectious disease screening.
During egg retrieval, the doctor sedates you and guides a small needle through the vagina up to the follicle. A suction device connected to the needle extracts the egg from the follicle. The doctor then freezes your eggs in subzero temperatures using vitrification. You may experience cramping and nausea after the process.
Where to get egg freezing services
IVF specialist centers and fertility centers offer egg freezing services. However, choosing from the many options available can be overwhelming. Ideally, you want a center with a proven success rate and has experts who mitigate the known and unknown risks of egg freezing. Also, consider the extraction process and the nature of invasion you can sustain—innovative egg freezing processes at OC Fertility® address invasive concerns that discourage some women from oocyte cryopreservation.
Bottom line
Egg freezing gives you options on when you want to start your family. If you are considering egg freezing, you need the best services. Contact Sharon Moayeri, MD, and her team at OC Fertility® in Newport Beach, California, to help preserve your future fertility.
