Egg freezing

Overview: 

Egg freezing, also called oocyte cryopreservation, is a type of assisted reproductive technology (ART). It is a process through which the eggs are preserved and saved for future use. 

The process helps couples who may not be able to have a child presently due to reasons such as health conditions or want to delay having children and wish to become parents in the future due to personal reasons. 

It involves medicines that make eggs grow, and these eggs are harvested from the ovaries and frozen for later use. When needed, the eggs can be thawed and merged with a sperm to produce an embryo, which then can be implanted in the uterus. Although most people use this procedure to save their eggs, this can also help with egg donation, where a donor can donate their frozen eggs to someone who wants a child. 

Egg freezing may not guarantee a pregnancy, but it indeed improves the chances of conceiving. However, Freezing eggs while still young increases the chances of conceiving. 

 Who Needs Egg Freezing: 

Preservation of eggs may be considered for multiple reasons: 

• Women who have cancer and undergo chemotherapy or pelvic radiation therapy face risks of their fertility being affected and can save their eggs. 
• Certain surgeries pose a potential risk of damage to the ovaries, making egg freezing a viable option. 
• Women who face a risk of premature ovarian failure due to chromosomal abnormalities benefit from this procedure. 
• Women with ovarian diseases that cause damage to the ovaries can opt for preserving their eggs for the future. 
• Some women require their ovaries to be removed due to genetic mutations. They can save their eggs for later. 
• Certain families opt to preserve their eggs for social and personal reasons like career, health, finding the right partner, etc. 

What Happens During The Egg Freezing Procedure: 

• The complete egg freezing procedure takes around two to three weeks to be done.  
• The fertility doctor sets up an appointment to understand the need for the test and the medical history and prescribes blood and hormone testing. The doctor may also ask for a transvaginal ultrasound to evaluate the ovarian health and the amount of eggs it has.  
• The doctor estimates how many eggs it will be possible to retrieve and recommends medications to stimulate the ovaries. 
• The ovaries are stimulated while keeping the menstrual cycle in mind for the best results. During the process, the ovaries are continuously monitored through blood tests for hormone levels and ultrasounds. This is important to ensure that a maximum number of eggs can be obtained without putting the ovaries through any kind of risk. 
• The doctor might begin the process by prescribing birth control pills to help synchronize the follicles, enabling them to respond to the stimulation medicine. These pills are required to be taken during the periods or immediately after ovulation. 
• The monitoring of the ovaries continues through blood tests and ultrasounds to ensure that the stimulation injections are given at the correct time. The doctor will provide detailed instructions once the person is ready for injections. 
• The injections are given for 10 to 12 consecutive days in the belly, and after monitoring, the doctor may change the dose or the combination of medicines depending on how the body reacts to the injections. 
• Within five to seven days, the ovaries begin increasing in size, and the fertility doctor may restrict physical activities like running or heavy workouts during that period. 
• The doctor keeps checking the follicle's progress. They should reach an optimum size. 
• Once the follicles are ready, the egg retrieval or harvesting process begins. 
• The woman may be given IV and general anesthesia for the procedure to begin. 
• The doctor uses a transvaginal ultrasound probe with a needle that is pierced into the follicles. The fluid in the follicles that contain the eggs is taken out and collected in tubes. These tubes are later given to an embryologist. 
• The embryologist checks the follicular fluid and detects the eggs. This takes up to 20 minutes. Once the person is conscious, the doctor informs them how many eggs were retrieved. 
• The amount of eggs depends on age and the reserves in the ovaries. Usually, people over 40 have fewer egg reserves than younger ones. 
• People mostly experience cramps, bloating, some degree of constipation, and spotting from the vagina within the first 24 hours after the eggs are retrieved. These can be addressed with painkillers and heat pads. If there is severe abdominal pain, dizziness, or heavy bleeding, the doctor should be contacted immediately. 
• The retrieved eggs are frozen through a process called vitrification that uses the method of rapid freezing with the help of liquid nitrogen to decrease the formation of ice crystals on the eggs, enhancing their chances of survival. 

  The Risks Involved In The Procedure: 

• Most women experience discomfort while taking injections and the time till the eggs are retrieved. Some patients may develop ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS)- a reaction that happens in the ovaries, because of the hormone injections. It can lead to very high hormonal levels and enlargement of the ovaries, with some fluid oozing into the abdomen and causing electrolyte imbalances. Research suggests that women who are below the age of 35 and those with conditions like Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) and low Body Mass Index (BMI) are more likely to develop this side effect. 
• The stimulation medicines can trigger hormonal changes and cause stress or other mood swings in women. 
• Some women face skin irritation at the injection sites, which can be painful. 

Conclusion: 

Egg freezing has proved itself to be a viable option for people who wish to preserve their fertility but do not want to become parents in present times due to health and other personal choices. Although it is costly, everyone may not be comfortable spending that amount. The process involves considerable time, effort, and emotional strength; the opportunity to save fertility for the future makes it worth it.