Egg freezing is a topic that is still taboo in many cultures and was even illegal in some countries until recently. We have come a long way, it is now more widely accepted for an individual to freeze their eggs. If there are medical reasoning for egg freezing, such as fertility preservation prior to cancer treatment, people seem to be more sympathetic compared to social egg freezing. However, this topic is being talked about more and the stigma is being removed which is very important as women are choosing to delay having children.
The first live birth which resulted from a frozen egg was reported in 1986. The freezing and subsequent thaw of eggs were problematic at first as many eggs did not survive the process. Just like many other aspects of medicine, techniques related to egg freezing have advanced. As a result, the prospects of egg freezing have increased. With these advances, along with more understanding of the process, egg freezing has become an acceptable choice for women to preserve their fertility potential. More and more individuals are choosing to freeze their eggs for a variety of reasons.
As women now have the option of pursuing academics and their careers, the age where they feel comfortable having children has increased compared to 20 years ago. Women are choosing to delay their pregnancy so that they can establish themselves before they bring a child into the world. Most of us admire this and applaud these women, but fertility does not agree. A women's fertility declines rapidly after the age of 35 and in some cases even earlier. There are other factors which play a role in a women's fertility but age is one that affects all women around the world. So choosing to delay pregnancy, can be costly in the future. This is why the use of egg freezing for social reasons is becoming more and more common.
One of my friends (Sareena, @oocyteadventures) decided that egg freezing was the right choice for her. She has recently started her career as an embryologist and wants to focus on establishing herself in the field before starting a family. Having the background and working directly with infertility, she knew it was the right time for her to freeze her eggs and preserve her fertility potential for the future. It is a choice that many women are making. It is by no means an easy decision but with the help of a clinical team, the journey can be made easier. Sareena's instagram page is dedicated to her journey as she documented the whole process. If anyone is deciding whether or not to freeze their eggs, her page outlines the process very well.
Aside from social reasons for egg freezing, there are medical reasons which would call for egg freezing as well. More doctors are offering egg freezing to their patients, whether it be for social reasons or medical reasons. However, there are still some people who are not aware of the choices they have when it comes to their fertility. It is so important for this topic to be discussed with anyone who may benefit from it. Increasing awareness and educating others in our communities can benefit lots of people.
Here I will provide a brief overview of what the process of egg freezing entails for those of you who are interested. The process begins with an initial consultation, followed by a pelvic examination, and some blood tests looking at hormonal functions. Once these are discussed, the correct medication and dosage are determined and stimulation of the ovaries begins. During the stimulation protocol, cycle monitoring is arranged to ensure the ovaries are responding to the medication. A trigger shot is given 36 hours prior to egg retrieval. Once the eggs have been retrieved, the embryologist removes the surrounding cells from the eggs and freezes the eggs for future use. With the advances in both freeze and thaw techniques, eggs respond much better to these procedures now than they did a couple of years ago. Therefore, egg freezing is a great option for fertility preservation.
It is important to discuss these options with patients and remove the taboo that is still associated with egg freezing. Even though it can be emotionally burdensome, it is the right choice for a lot of women and should be more openly discussed. As more people begin to talk about their journeys, more people become aware of the choices they have to increase their chances of becoming pregnant at a later stage of their life. I would like to extend a huge thank you to Sareena (@oocyteadventures) for sharing her story and encouraging people to consider egg freezing. Please feel free to contact either me or Sareena if you have any questions.
