What is Egg Freezing?
Egg Freezing is done so as to preserve the reproductive potential of a woman where eggs are harvested using hormone stimulation and frozen through a process known as vitrification due to reasons such as postponing pregnancy or prior to medical treatment.
What is Egg Freezing?
Egg Freezing is done so as to preserve the reproductive potential of a woman where eggs are harvested using hormone stimulation and frozen through a process known as vitrification due to reasons such as postponing pregnancy or prior to medical treatment.
OVERVIEW
What is Egg Freezing?
Egg freezing involves preservation of fertility in women. To start with, there will be comprehensive medical history, fertility tests such as hormonal blood test, ovarian reserve testing and pelvic ultrasound and lifestyle questions. The preparatory stage may require intake of certain medication and supplements to improve egg quality. Then, there will be stimulation of the ovaries through daily administration of hormones for about 10-12 days. In this period, several eggs will be grown through ultrasound and blood tests to ensure everything works as expected. When the eggs grow enough, they will be injected to mature in preparation for retrieval. Eggs will then be retrieved through a 20-30 minute long process known as egg retrieval, done under general anesthesia. After the procedure, the patient will go back to her house and experiences only minimal cramps or bloating. Eggs will then be vitrified (frozen rapidly). Egg freezing is an option for women who wish to postpone their pregnancy or have medical interventions such as chemotherapy that can affect their fertility.
Step by step
How Egg Freezing works?
Stimulation
Baseline tests and consent are followed by 10–12 days of hormone injections to stimulate the ovaries. Monitoring scans track follicle growth, followed by a trigger injection when the eggs are ready.
Egg retrieval
Once the eggs are ready, they are collected through a short procedure under anaesthesia. The eggs are then assessed in the laboratory to identify mature eggs suitable for freezing.
Freezing
Mature eggs are vitrified (flash-frozen) on the same day to preserve their quality. They are then stored safely in liquid nitrogen for future use.
For Whom
Is egg freezing right for you?
The procedure of egg freezing is advised for those females who would like to ensure their ability to conceive in the future due to personal, medical, or other considerations. Egg freezing can be particularly useful in case of:
Important to know
Before You Choose
When egg freezing may not deliver what you hope
- Very low ovarian reserve, where few eggs are likely to be collected
- Advanced age at the time of freezing, where egg quality is already reduced
- Where a single cycle would yield too few eggs to give a realistic chance later
- Where you are ready to conceive now - treating now is more effective than storing
- Where the expectation is a guarantee rather than an improved option
Egg freezing preserves an option; it does not guarantee a baby. The number and quality of eggs collected matters.
What to expect
- Injections for 10-12 days, usually self monitored
- Bloating and abdominal fullness towards the end of stimulation
- Retrieval under general anaesthesia, home the same day
- More than one cycle may be advised to bank enough eggs
Your consultant will discuss a realistic target number of eggs based on your age and ovarian reserve before you start.
Find out whether Egg Freezing is your best next step
The right treatment depends on your diagnosis. One evaluation consultation is usually enough to know.
- Honest advice on your treatment options, based on your own tests
- Transparent pricing before you commit to a cycle
- 24×7 doctor-supervised medical helpline through your journey