Egg- freezing offers women the choice to take control of their future and make informed decisions based on what is right for them. Whether the eventual defrosting of eggs involves a partner, or is done solo, choosing to have a child is not a decision taken simply because time is running out.
Dr Geeta Nargund
2. Balance: The decision to postpone having children can be made for a number of reasons, such as not having an ideal partner, pursuit of a career, caring for parents or just the need to take pressure off a relationship. Egg- freezing allows a woman to balance these concerns, and pursue motherhood at a time in their life when it works for her and doesn't involve sacrifices in other aspects of her life.3. Control: As a fertility specialist, one of the most difficult parts is dealing with women who simply had no idea of their fertility health, and who now have very little control over whether they are able to conceive a much wanted child. Egg- freezing offers a chance to take that control, as if around 12 eggs are frozen before a woman is 36 with the latest vitrification (fast freezing) technology, her chance of having a baby post-41 can rise from around 10% to 50%. It certainly should not be looked at as a cast iron insurance policy, but offers some women chance of conceiving with their own eggs if not left too late.
4. Education and Awareness: Being aware of your fertility health is key, and exploring what this looks like is incredibly straightforward thanks to One-Stop Fertility MOT's - which can provide a comprehensive assessment of your likely egg-count, blood circulation to your ovaries and health of womb, in the time it takes for a lunch break. A family history of early menopause, previous ovarian surgery, smoking, taking steroids, or endometriosis of the ovaries can all negatively affect egg quantity and quality. Self-education on your fertility prospects is central to protecting yourself from future disappointment, and making the decisions you want to make, as opposed to the ones inadvertently made for you. We run weekly free open days and mini-consultations at Create Fertility in order to raise awareness and educate women about egg freezing and IVF.
5. Simple: The egg-freezing process is simple and relatively straightforward. You will be given mild dose of hormones to ripen your eggs followed by egg collection under conscious sedation so that you will not feel any pain. Eggs are collected by a consultant who will remove the fluid from follicles ( egg sacs) by passing a needle through the vagina into the ovary, and you will be told straight away how many eggs have been collected from the procedure.6. Success: Recent developments in the freezing process mean that survival rates for frozen eggs are now more than 90%. 'Vitrification' or 'fast-freezing' methods, developed by Scientific Director at CREATE Fertility Professor R.C. Chian, prevent the formation of ice crystals that previously compromised frozen eggs. Success rates reduce with the age of eggs, and so ensuring we are informed enough to approach egg-freezing at an age when our eggs are younger and healthier, is also key to increasing personal success.
7. Safe: The modern, mild stimulation protocols have helped to make the treatment safer. We have developed more natural approaches to suit women's needs and avoid health risks. The egg collection procedure is an outpatient, safe procedure with minimal risks. It is important that women are offered the latest methods by experts in the field.