New Delhi: With the innovation of advanced technologies and rapidly expanding lifestyles, egg freezing today has become a new normal for couples who want to have children when they are mentally inclined and committed to parenthood. However, it cannot be ruled out that most of the couples face difficulty in conceiving at a later stage of life due to increasing fertility problems. As a result, assisted reproductive technology, including egg freezing, has become a savior for couples, especially women who wish to conceive at a later stage of their lives.
Medically known as mature oocyte cryopreservation, this is a method that involves saving a woman’s ability to become pregnant in the future. In this method, unfertilized eggs are harvested from the ovaries and frozen for later use, where they can be combined with sperm and manually implanted into the uterus.
Dr Swati Mishra, Consultant, Birla Fertility and IVF answers all your queries on the egg freezing process and its scope for menopause in women.
Who can take advantage of this?
Egg freezing is a reliable option for women who are not yet ready to become pregnant and want to conceive in their thirties. One of the most important advantages of this technique is that it is a multi-step process and does not require sperm from the donor and can be fertilized at the time of conception. Before opting for this method, it is important to understand when a woman can use this option.
This includes:
- In case of infertility: Most couples are unable to conceive due to a variety of factors that can lead to fertility problems, including any disease such as lupus, sickle cell anemia or PCOD.
- In the case of cancer treatment: It cannot be denied that the treatment of cancer leaves a significant impact on the body, weakening various organs. Some drugs and treatments like chemotherapy can emit harmful radiations that can affect one’s fertility.
- During IVF: In vitro fertilization is another method that involves fertilizing an egg with sperm in vitro. On a case by case basis, doctors may also recommend egg freezing to women as per the requirement.
- Delayed pregnancy: Some couples want to delay pregnancy and safely preserve young eggs for their future pregnancies.
- physical problems: In some instances of infection, organ failure, or other physical issues such as endometriosis, which is a condition in which tissue outside the uterus blocks the fallopian tubes, egg quality is likely to suffer.
what is the procedure?
Before egg freezing, patients must undergo screening procedures to identify any signs of infection that may complicate the process. Once this is done, the procedure is carried out, and the patient is closely monitored at every step. Egg freezing involves several processes, but it can be broadly divided into three broad parts. This includes:
1. Ovarian Stimulation: In this procedure, synthetic hormones are injected into patients to stimulate the ovaries and produce multiple eggs instead of one. To prevent the possibility of premature ovulation, other medicines are also given to the patient. Next, blood tests and vaginal ultrasounds are also conducted, to measure the response and monitor the development of follicles (the fluid-filled sacs where eggs mature). It usually takes 12-14 days for follicles to develop inside the ovary.
2. Egg Retrieval: This procedure is done under sedation, in which an ultrasound probe is inserted into the vagina to identify the follicles. A suction device attached to a needle is used to remove the egg from the follicle, and this process can take up to 10–15 cycles to ensure that enough eggs are collected.
3. Freezing: Once the uninfected eggs are collected, they are frozen at sub-zero temperatures to be preserved for future use. Vitrification is one of the most common processes of egg freezing. High concentrations of substances are used to prevent the formation of ice crystals during the freezing process.
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What are the factors affecting egg freezing?
Before choosing egg freezing methods, it is also necessary to understand that various factors can affect the success or failure of egg freezing. This includes:
• Ages: It has been observed that young females produce more fertile eggs which have higher chances of fertilization in future.
• Sperm Quality: For a healthy and successful pregnancy, it is essential to remember that the quality of sperm is the most important factor in the success rate. A healthy sperm has a higher chance of producing a healthy embryo.
• Right Clinic: In addition, the success rate of diagnostic procedures also plays an important role in determining the success of the egg freezing method.
• Quantity of eggs: The quantity of eggs increases the chances of conception. Higher quantity of eggs also ensures higher chances for conception in future.
What is the scope of egg freezing for menopausal women?
While egg freezing is a growing trend for women who do not wish to become pregnant in their 20s or 30s, it is also important to note that most women reach menopause (the end of their menstrual cycle) in their late 40s. after a phase). In the early 50’s. Therefore, in the years before menopause, a woman’s fertility declines, and in later years it becomes more problematic to conceive than in younger women. Thus, although egg freezing gives the option of getting pregnant in later years, it is necessary to understand that fresh eggs always have better chances of conception than frozen eggs.
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