Why freeze your own eggs? Interesting information about the procedure

From 2009 to 2013, the number of women from the US, who froze their eggs, increased by 700 percent. And this jump in popularity is not surprising, because the freezing of eggs offers a solution to a rather complicated problem. Fertility of women begins to fall sharply when they reach the age of 35, but they wait longer and longer to have a baby. With the help of freezing, the fairer sex will be able to keep their young ovules in the highest quality, and then use them to try to get pregnant later. Health care professionals are gradually beginning to get used to this idea. In 2012, the American Society for Reproductive Medicine found that egg freezing is no longer an experimental process. The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists followed in his footsteps two years later. Moreover, there is real evidence that this works: in the US, about two thousand children have already been born, which were born from frozen eggs.

Subject matter of disputes

Some people say that the freezing of eggs gives women power, allowing them to control their fertility. Others say that this is a kind of plaster: society needs better conditions to have children, rather than high-tech methods that allow to postpone pregnancy. And even though this process is no longer experimental, the above organizations do not allow the freezing of eggs solely in order to postpone motherhood. They report that at the moment there is not enough information that would allow us to conclude with certainty that the freezing of eggs can be freely recommended to every person. These organizations are allowed to freeze eggs only for medical reasons, for example, if the patient needs to go through other extensive medical processes, such as chemotherapy, which are likely to cause damage to a woman's fertility. However, large companies, such as Apple or Facebook, offer their employees freeze eggs as a working bonus. Everywhere there are corresponding private clinics offering a service for a certain price. So there is a feeling that the freezing of eggs in the near future definitely will not begin to lose popularity.

Low probability of success

So far, there is not much information available, as this procedure is relatively new, but there is evidence that the probability that a frozen cell will create a child is only 2 to 12 percent. Most doctors collect a few eggs, so specialists estimate the chance as 25-50 percent, depending on the age of the patient.

High price

One cycle of egg freezing lasts from four to six weeks. The cost of this procedure is from six to ten thousand dollars. This includes general tests, vaccinations and the actual operation itself (however, it does not include the cost of storing the frozen egg annually). In most cases, this procedure is not covered by a medical insurance policy, although some insurance companies plan to impose coverage for such a procedure if it is performed under medical prescriptions. In addition, this does not include the use of eggs to become pregnant. After all, they still need to be thawed, fertilized, then placed again in the uterus, which entails numerous visits to the doctor, tests and medications. In total, this translates into eighteen thousand dollars.

What do you need to freeze the egg?

A survey was conducted of the specialists involved in this procedure, as well as of women who successfully passed through it, in order to find out what the process of oocyte freezing actually looks like, from the first consultation to the payment of bills. And that's how things are.

Choosing a Clinic

Not all clinics are equally good, and you definitely need to find the best in the vicinity. First, you need to find a place where you will be comfortable, and secondly, you need to pick up an institution that it will be convenient to get to, since you will often go there. One cycle of egg freezing can include dozens of visits to the doctor, and many women go through several cycles.

Blood test to determine the odds

When women first come to such a clinic, they take a blood test to check the level of three hormones: follicle stimulating hormone, estradiol and antimulator hormone. All these studies will allow the doctor to tell what the patient's ovarian reserve is.

Be ready to inject hormones

If the tests show that you are suitable for further surgery, the doctor will prescribe hormonal medications for you, which you will need to buy at the pharmacy and work in the abdomen within the next 10-12 days. If you are afraid of needles, the freezing of eggs will not be the most pleasant impression for you. These hormones stimulate the ovaries to produce more eggs, and also prevent the premature penetration of the ovules into the fallopian tubes.

Egg extraction operation

Egg extraction is an outpatient operation that does not require surgical intervention. You will be under the influence of anesthesia, and the surgeon will extract the eggs by vaginal route, using a needle that will be guided by ultrasound.

Repetition to increase the chances

In one cycle, it is possible to produce up to ten eggs, but not all of them are of sufficiently high quality to be frozen. Therefore, many women go through several cycles to get more eggs.

Look for storage space

So, the eggs are extracted, frozen using the rapid freezing method, called vitrification. When the eggs are frozen, they can be stored endlessly, but no one will do it for free. Many clinics offer to store eggs in place, but you may want to look for a more advantageous offer, since the prices for the year of storage can vary from 400 to 2000 dollars.

Do not rely on egg freezing as the only way to get pregnant

Never forget that the freezing of eggs should not be your plan for pregnancy. Many women who have gone through this procedure think that they are all right, since their eggs are frozen. However, it is always worth remembering that there is no guarantee that fertilization will be successful after defrosting.

It can be difficult emotionally

Many women describe this process as an emotional storm caused by hormones. Therefore, you need to get emotional support, and always remember that everything you do is for the sake of a good goal.

Prepare and do not be afraid to ask questions

Both specialists and patients reported that quality preparation is of great importance. Study everything on this topic yourself, always follow the news and check every step along the way. Regardless of which clinic you are in, you must always rely on yourself first. You need to monitor everything and ask questions about each issue. For example, when your doctor tells you the results of the tests, do not turn around and do not go away, but find out exactly what each of the results means.