The journey of parenthood is a blessing for every individual, but if you aren’t sure whether it is the right time to expand your family you still can conceive later in life without facing fertility issues. With the advancement in research, science, and technology a woman can choose to cryopreserve her oocyte or eggs and conceive later in life when she is ready through freezing eggs process.
A woman produces one or two eggs every month during her menstrual cycle and carries them throughout her life. If you calculate most women would carry around 2 million eggs across their lifespan, which may feel like a lot. But here’s something you must consider, the quality and number of eggs start declining as you start aging. And that’s why the egg count falls to 25,000 when you reach the age of 37 and by the time you are 51 years old, the egg count directly drops to 1,000 which makes very slim chances of becoming pregnant.
As a woman ages, the fertility rate decreases and you are more likely to face a few reproductive issues like endometriosis. But don’t worry methods like freezing eggs process can save you from future infertility challenges.
Since women across the world are choosing to consider pregnancy later in life, to avoid complications like lack of quality eggs or infertility more and more women are considering freezing eggs for fertility.
Let us walk you through the journey of freezing eggs process for your better understanding.
- What is freezing eggs process?
- Why do women consider freezing eggs for fertility purposes?
- How does freezing egg work
- How viable is the storage of frozen eggs
- What are the benefits of freezing your eggs
- How long can frozen eggs be stored?
- Intricate factors that determine the success of freezing eggs process
- Bottom line
Why do women consider freezing eggs for fertility purposes?
Women may consider freezing eggs for fertility purposes as they may want to conceive later in their life. Most women consider focusing on their career and advanced studies options to alleviate their career options. While she focuses on other aspects of life, she wouldn’t want that by the time she is ready to begin a family her conceiving options are almost null.
That’s when freezing eggs come in! Apart from personal circumstances, there are certain medical treatments, such as chemotherapy and radiation therapy, that can damage a woman’s eggs and reduce her fertility. By freezing her eggs before undergoing these treatments, a woman can preserve her fertility and have the option of using her eggs to have children in the future through IVF or surrogacy.
Egg freezing can also be a useful option for women who have a medical condition like endometriosis where carrying a child to term is almost impossible or a disease that affects your fertility, such as premature ovarian failure or polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) in that case, you can consider freezing your eggs beforehand. So that you will be assured to conceive a biologically linked child through surrogacy.
What is freezing eggs process?
Freezing eggs, or oocyte cryopreservation, is a method for fertility preservation that permits women to freeze their eggs for a future time. Though, freezing eggs process is similar to the procedure of IVF as before retrieving eggs your doctor will make you undergo fertility medications to produce qualitative eggs. Then, an IVF specialist would observe your eggs through blood tests and ultrasounds to determine their status of the eggs. Then, eggs are retrieved and frozen stored for future use
The freezing eggs process begins with hormone therapy to stimulate the production of multiple eggs. This is done through injections of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH). The retrieval procedure of your eggs is performed under anesthesia or sedation.
During the retrieval, a needle is inserted through the vaginal wall and into the ovary to remove the eggs. The eggs are then frozen using a cryopreservation method called vitrification, which involves rapid freezing to prevent the formation of ice crystals that could damage the eggs. Once the eggs are frozen, they can be stored in a cryopreservation facility for an extended period.
How does freezing egg work?
Every woman who considers freezing her eggs has a common concern how does freezing egg work exactly? Is it a reliable option and what are the success rates with frozen eggs? And what are the benefits of freezing your eggs? Don’t worry Global Star Surrogacy has got you covered. To begin with, we have listed below detailed steps of how does freezing egg work.
Hormone therapy
The first step in the egg-freezing process is hormone therapy to stimulate the production of multiple eggs. This is typically done using medications such as follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH).
Oocyte retrieval
Once the eggs have matured, a surgical procedure called oocyte retrieval is performed to remove the eggs. The procedure is typically done under conscious sedation or general anesthesia, and it involves inserting a needle through the vaginal wall to aspirate the eggs from the ovaries.
Egg freezing
After the eggs are retrieved, they are frozen using a cryopreservation method called vitrification. This involves rapid freezing to prevent the formation of ice crystals that could damage the eggs. Furthermore, by using the cryopreservation method eggs are frozen and stored.
Thawing
When the woman is ready to use the frozen eggs, they are thawed using a method that is gentle to minimize the risk of damage to the eggs.
Fertilization
After the eggs are thawed, they are fertilized using sperm from a male partner or a sperm donor. The fertilized eggs are then allowed to develop into embryos.
Embryo transfer
If fertilization is successful and the embryos are of good quality, one or more of the embryos can be transferred to the intended mother or surrogate’s uterus in an embryo transfer procedure If the transfer is successful and the woman becomes pregnant, she will carry the pregnancy to term and give birth to the child.
How viable is the storage of frozen eggs?
While the process of freezing eggs has been around for several decades, it has only become popular and successful in recent years worldwide due to advances in cryopreservation techniques.
By now you must be wondering how viable is the storage of frozen eggs. The success rate of using frozen eggs to achieve pregnancy depends on several factors, including the age of the woman at the time the eggs were frozen, the number of eggs frozen, and the quality of the eggs.
Usually, the success rate for using frozen eggs is lower than the success rate for using fresh eggs. However, the success rate has been improving over time due to advances in cryopreservation technology and methods.
Though, as per the research, egg freezing live birth rate using frozen eggs was about 43% for women under the age of 35 and about 27% for women over the age of 35. While another study found that the egg freezing live birth rate using frozen eggs was about 24% for women under the age of 35, and about 11% for women above the age of 35.
It’s essential to remember that the success rate or egg freezing live birth rate of using frozen eggs can differ depending on the particular circumstances and the fertility clinic. Some fertility clinics have reported the egg freezing live birth rate as high as 60% for women under the age of 35.
Overall, the storage of frozen eggs is a viable option for fertility preservation, but it’s important to carefully consider the success rate, cost, and time involved before making a decision. If you want to know more about the success rates of surrogacy with frozen embryos or eggs you can book a free consultation call and get in touch with us.
What are the benefits of freezing your eggs?
There are several benefits of freezing your eggs, including the ability to have biological children at a later time and the ability to plan for the future. For example, a woman who freezes her eggs in her 20s or 30s can use those eggs to have children in her 40s or 50s.
Egg freezing can also be an option for women who are considering surrogacy. Surrogacy is a process in which a woman carries and gives birth to a child for the intended parents. Since a surrogate does not have a biological link with the baby so the gamete material is collected from either intended parents or donors.
Trusting an anonymous egg donor isn’t an easy decision for every intended parent, hence if have already faced a few failed attempts at conceiving naturally you can consider freezing your eggs and embark on the journey of surrogacy or IVF later on with your eggs.
There are several other benefits of freezing your eggs and reasons that one can consider freezing their eggs like
Delaying childbirth
Egg freezing allows women to preserve their fertility and have the option of having biological children at a later time. This can be useful for women who are considering delaying childbirth due to career or personal goals.
Fertility preservation
Freezing eggs for fertility can be an option for women who have a medical condition that could potentially affect their fertility, such as cancer or autoimmune diseases. By freezing their eggs, they can have the option of having biological children in the future.
Peace of mind
Egg freezing can provide peace of mind for women who are unsure about their future fertility. By freezing their eggs, they can have the option of having biological children in the future, regardless of whether they are in a relationship or have a partner who can have children.
Backup plan
Some women may choose to freeze their eggs as a backup plan in case they are unable to conceive naturally in the future due to medical conditions or other factors.
Higher success rates:
The success rate of using frozen eggs to achieve pregnancy has been improving over time due to advances in cryopreservation techniques.
Increased flexibility
Egg freezing allows women to have more flexibility in terms of timing their pregnancies. They can choose to use their frozen eggs when they are ready to have children, rather than feeling pressure to have children at a certain age.
No rush to find a partner
Egg freezing can be a good option for women who are not ready to have children with a partner at the current time. It allows them to focus on other goals and priorities without feeling pressure to find a partner to have children.
Genetic material
Egg freezing allows women to preserve their genetic material, which can be important for those who want to have a biological connection to their children.
Advancements in egg freezing
Research and development in the field of egg freezing are ongoing, and it is possible that future advances may further improve the success rates and benefits of the procedure even better.
Overall, egg freezing is a valuable fertility preservation option for women who are considering delaying childbirth or who have a medical condition that could potentially affect their fertility. It is also a valuable option for women considering surrogacy, as it allows them to have a biological connection to the child.
How long can frozen eggs be stored?
Freezing eggs usually stop eggs from aging, hence frozen eggs that are retrieved from a young woman and stored for years have better chances of conception than fresh eggs retrieved from an older woman.
Usually, the timeline for freezing eggs varies, but most cryopreservation facilities can store eggs for 10-20 years. According to the research of the University of Southern California’s fertility clinic, 75% of frozen eggs survive through the thawing process.
Intricate factors that influence a successful journey of freezing eggs process
We already have discussed the success rates with freezing eggs process but there are a few intricate factors that remain extremely important to complete a successful frozen egg procedure.
Age
The age of the woman at the time the eggs are frozen is a vital factor in the success rate of using frozen eggs to achieve pregnancy. The quality and quantity of a woman’s eggs decline with age, and the success rate of using frozen eggs tends to be lower for women over the age of 35.
The number of eggs frozen
Several frozen eggs can also influence the success rate of conception using frozen eggs. The more eggs that are frozen, the greater the chances of achieving a successful pregnancy.
Quality of eggs
The quality of the eggs is another important factor in the success rate of using frozen eggs. The quality of a woman’s eggs can be influenced by various factors such as age, medical conditions, and lifestyle factors.
Health
Your overall health and lifestyle can determine the success of freezing eggs. Women who are in good health and have a healthy lifestyle may have a higher chance of success.
Ovarian reserve
The number and quality of eggs in the ovaries are referred to as the ovarian reserve. It can affect the success of freezing eggs. Women with a lower ovarian reserve may have a harder time producing eggs that can be successfully frozen and thawed.
Fertility clinic
The success rate of using frozen eggs can vary depending on the fertility clinic. It’s important to do research and choose a reputable fertility clinic with a high success rate.
Egg freezing
Freezing eggs can be a useful fertility preservation option for women who have a medical condition that could potentially affect their fertility, such as cancer or autoimmune diseases.
Bottom Line
Freezing your eggs can be beneficial for you, whenever you decide to conceive through surrogacy you know you already have qualitative gamete material which also saves your time to find donors and retrieve eggs. With frozen eggs, you can directly proceed with the formation of embryos.
If you still have queries regarding surrogacy using frozen eggs or embryos you can visit our website or book our free consultation call right away.
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