A woman’s most fertile years are in her twenties. Approximately half the women in this reproductive age group are not ready to have children at this point in time.
It is generally because couples are more concerned about their financial constraints or focused on their professions. Sadly, the woman’s biological clock keeps on ticking, posing several concerns when it comes to having a child.
Recent advancement in fertility treatment allows a woman to freeze her eggs when she is younger and use the eggs when she is ready later on. Due to this, they are able to preserve the healthiest eggs for fertility treatment in their late thirties.
Oocyte cryopreservation is becoming more popular among women as a way to delay or preserve their fertility. You can visit an experienced IVF doctor in India for proper guidance and treatment.
What is oocyte cryopreservation, and how does it work?
Oocyte cryopreservation (egg freezing) is the process of extracting, freezing, and storing a woman’s eggs for future use.
Prior to the stimulation cycle, the fertility specialist assesses the female’s ovarian reserve in order to determine the oocytes’ potential yield. A pelvic ultrasound and blood tests are part of the evaluation. It helps in determining the correct medication dosage.
This treatment is identical to an IVF process, starting with ovarian stimulation, which involves injecting hormonal drugs to stimulate the ovaries for around 10 to 12 days.
When the oocytes are mature, oocyte harvesting, also known as the egg retrieval method, is used to obtain them. We extract the eggs with the help of a needle which we insert into the vaginal canal guided by an ultrasound machine.
We examine the eggs in a clinical laboratory before storing them in cryo-protectants. It protects the fra kogile eggs against the production of intracellular ice during cryopreservation. Ice crystals forming inside the egg’s cell structure might damage the membranes and cause the cell to rupture.
When the woman is ready to conceive, we thaw the eggs and fertilize them with the help of the IVF or ICSI cycle before placing them in the uterus.
Who should opt for egg preservation?
- Women diagnosed with cancer and scheduled to undergo oncological treatment such as surgery, chemotherapy, or radiotherapy may find oocyte cryopreservation to be particularly beneficial.
The women can use these eggs to conceive a child with IVF/ICSI treatment when they complete their treatment.
Women who have had a hysterectomy or other surgeries that prevent them from carrying a natural pregnancy can use the eggs to produce conception through surrogacy.
- Oocyte cryopreservation is also an option for single women or women who cannot have children due to some issue. It gives them time and liberty to decide when they want to begin a family.
However, a woman needs to choose this option to freeze her eggs while they are viable, increasing their chances of successfully conceiving.
It would be best to view egg freezing as a possibility rather than a guarantee for having babies in the future. Several women who choose to freeze their oocytes may never use them since they may conceive naturally. It does, however, provide hope to women who want to put off having children for psychological, physiological, or financial reasons.
We suggest you learn more about your fertility preservation choices if you are thinking about egg freezing. Book an appointment with us, and let us guide you through everything you need to know.