Egg freezing, also known as oocyte cryopreservation, is a medical procedure that allows individuals to preserve their eggs for future use. This process involves the extraction of a woman's eggs from her ovaries, which are then frozen and stored for an extended period. The primary purpose of egg freezing is to enable women to delay childbearing or preserve their fertility for various reasons. Dr Nandita Palshetkar, a renowned IVF and infertility treatment specialist in India states that the procedure of egg freezing is an effective technology that has stopped the biological clock of women today. Dr. Palshetkar has had a pioneering role in introducing advanced techniques in this field. Get her knowledgeable insights on egg freezing by logging into DocTube.
Egg Freezing: Why Opt for it?
Cancer Treatment
Individuals diagnosed with cancer may undergo treatments such as chemotherapy or radiation, which can harm their fertility. Egg freezing offers the possibility of preserving eggs before starting treatment.
Autoimmune Diseases
Certain autoimmune diseases or medical conditions may require treatments that can negatively impact fertility, making egg freezing a valuable option.
Delaying Childbearing for Personal or Professional Reasons
Some individuals may want to focus on their education, career or personal development before starting a family (Lallemant, C., Vassard, D., Nyboe Andersen, A., Schmidt, L. and Macklon, N., 2016. Medical and social egg freezing: internet‐based survey of knowledge and attitudes among women in Denmark and the UK. Acta obstetricia et gynecologica Scandinavica, 95(12), pp.1402-1410). Egg freezing allows them to postpone childbearing while preserving their fertility.
Family Planning
Couples may choose to freeze eggs due to male infertility issues or other factors affecting their ability to conceive naturally. Frozen eggs can be used in conjunction with sperm to create embryos for in vitro fertilization.
Age-Related Fertility Concerns
As women age, the quantity and quality of their eggs decline, making it harder to conceive. Egg freezing allows women to freeze their eggs when they are younger, potentially increasing the chances of a successful pregnancy later in life.
Preservation of Reproductive Options
Some individuals may want to preserve their reproductive options in case they decide to have children later in life or if unforeseen circumstances arise (Borovecki, A., Tozzo, P., Cerri, N. and Caenazzo, L., 2018. Social egg freezing under public health perspective: just a medical reality or a women's right? an ethical case analysis. Journal of public health research, 7(3), pp.jphr-2018).
Genetic Reasons
In cases where individuals or couples carry genetic mutations or have a family history of genetic disorders, egg freezing may be used in conjunction with preimplantation genetic testing to screen embryos for genetic abnormalities before implantation.
The Procedure of Egg Freezing
The procedure of egg freezing, also known as oocyte cryopreservation, involves several key steps. Read along to get a general overview of how egg freezing is typically performed:
Initial Consultation and Evaluation
The process begins with an initial consultation with a reproductive specialist or fertility doctor. During this consultation, the individual's medical history, reproductive health and reasons for egg freezing are discussed.
Ovarian Stimulation
Once the decision to proceed with egg freezing is made, the individual usually undergoes ovarian stimulation (Mertes, H. and Pennings, G., 2011. Social egg freezing: for better, not for worse. Reproductive biomedicine online, 23(7), pp.824-829). This involves taking hormonal medications, typically over the course of 10-14 days, to stimulate the ovaries to produce multiple mature eggs. Ultrasound monitoring and blood tests are used to track follicle development and hormone levels.
Egg Maturation and Trigger Shot
When the ovarian follicles containing mature eggs reach the appropriate size, a "trigger shot" of medications is given to induce the final maturation of the egg. This ensures that the eggs are ready for retrieval.
Egg Retrieval
Approximately 36 hours after the trigger shot, a minor surgical procedure known as transvaginal ultrasound-guided follicle aspiration is performed. The individual is usually placed under light sedation or anesthesia. A thin ultrasound probe is inserted through the vaginal wall to guide a needle into each mature follicle (Harwood, K., 2009. Egg freezing: a breakthrough for reproductive autonomy?. Bioethics, 23(1), pp.39-46). The fluid from each follicle, which may contain an egg, is aspirated into a collection tube. An embryologist then identifies and isolates the eggs from the fluid.
Egg Vitrification or Freezing
The isolated eggs are rapidly frozen using a process called vitrification. This involves immersing the eggs in a cryoprotectant solution and then plunging them into liquid nitrogen at very low temperatures to prevent ice crystal formation, which could damage the eggs.
Storage
The frozen eggs are stored in specialized cryopreservation tanks filled with liquid nitrogen. These tanks can keep the eggs viable for an extended period, typically several years or even longer.
Future Use
When the individual is ready to use their frozen eggs, they are thawed and subjected to in vitro fertilization. This involves fertilizing the eggs with sperm either from a partner or a donor in a laboratory dish. Once fertilization occurs, the resulting embryos are cultured for a few days, and one or more healthy embryos are selected for transfer into the uterus. Any extra embryos can be frozen for future use.
Embryo Transfer
The selected embryos are transferred into the woman's uterus in a procedure similar to a standard IVF embryo transfer (Gürtin, Z.B., Shah, T., Wang, J. and Ahuja, K., 2019. Reconceiving egg freezing: insights from an analysis of 5 years of data from a UK clinic. Reproductive BioMedicine Online, 38(2), pp.272-282). If the embryo successfully implants in the uterine lining, pregnancy occurs.
Thus, egg freezing or oocyte cryopreservation, empowers individuals to preserve their fertility for various reasons, including medical treatments, career aspirations and personal circumstances. It offers hope to cancer patients and those who wish to delay parenthood for other diverse reasons. Egg freezing also addresses age-related fertility concerns, ensuring that women can access their younger, healthier eggs when ready for pregnancy. While success rates may vary, it provides a valuable option for reproductive choice, allowing individuals to take control of their family planning, whether by preserving genetic material or overcoming unforeseen obstacles.
FAQs
- What is the best age for a woman to freeze her eggs?
Ans. The best age for a woman to freeze her eggs is between 27-34 years.
2. Do IVF babies suffer from more health problems?
Ans. Most children born from IVF are healthy. However, some children may suffer from health problems like premature birth, low birth weight and congenital birth defects.