Egg Freezing
Table of Contents
Egg Freezing: A Modern Path to Preserving Fertility
In today’s fast-paced world, more individuals are taking control of their life’s timeline—career goals, personal milestones, and family planning included. Egg freezing, also known as oocyte cryopreservation, has become an empowering option for those looking to preserve their fertility for the future. At NewLife Fertility Centre, we are committed to supporting your family-building journey with the latest advancements in reproductive technology.
What is Egg Freezing?
Who Should Consider Egg Freezing?
- Individuals Delaying Parenthood: If you’re focused on your education, career, or other personal goals, freezing your eggs can provide peace of mind for future family planning.
- Medical Reasons: Women undergoing cancer treatments or other medical procedures that may affect fertility can preserve their eggs beforehand.
- Those Not Ready for Parenthood Yet: If you’re not in a position to start a family but want to keep the option open for the future, egg freezing might be the solution.
The Egg Freezing Process
Initial Consultation
The first step in your egg-freezing journey is to schedule a consultation with one of our ten experienced fertility specialists. During this initial appointment, our specialists will discuss your needs, explain the egg-freezing process in detail, and answer any questions. This personalized consultation is designed to help you make informed decisions and ensure you are comfortable and confident as you embark on this important step towards preserving your fertility.
Fertility Testing
In the second step, our fertility specialists will prescribe several essential fertility tests to determine the likelihood of successful egg freezing. These tests typically include an Anti-Mullerian Hormone (AMH) test, among others, to assess your ovarian reserve and overall reproductive health.
To maximize the number of eggs retrieved, you’ll undergo a short course of hormone injections to stimulate your ovaries.
This is a minimally invasive procedure performed under light sedation to collect mature eggs.
Egg Freezing – Fast Facts
- Fertility Decline: Women are born with approximately four million eggs, but this number diminishes significantly over time. By age 30, only about 100,000 eggs remain, and by age 45 or menopause, very few viable eggs are left.
- Quick Process: The egg freezing cycle takes just two weeks, with the retrieval procedure lasting only 20 minutes. During this time, you can continue your normal routine and typically return to work the next day.
- Comfortable Procedure: Egg retrieval is minimally invasive and performed under light anesthesia, ensuring minimal discomfort.
- Long-Term Storage: Eggs can be frozen indefinitely without losing quality, giving you the flexibility to pursue natural conception whenever you’re ready.
- Proven Success: Contrary to misconceptions, egg freezing is a well-established procedure widely practiced across North America. The success rate of IVF with frozen eggs is higher when eggs are preserved at a younger age.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How Long Can Eggs Be Frozen?
With advances in cryopreservation techniques, eggs can remain frozen for many years without compromising their quality. This provides flexibility for you to decide the right time to use them. - Is There a “Best Age” to Freeze My Eggs?
In general, the younger you are when you choose egg freezing, the better. You can attempt to freeze your eggs at an older age, but women over the age of 37 will need a much more time-consuming process to retrieve healthy eggs. - Can I Become Pregnant with Frozen Eggs?Through in vitro fertilization, it’s very possible to become pregnant with frozen eggs. Although many women are unfamiliar with this method on how to get pregnant, egg freezing has been in use for decades.
- How Many Eggs Should I Freeze?
For most patients, we recommend freezing around 20 eggs. Not every egg will result in pregnancy, and we want to make sure you have enough frozen eggs if you choose to have more than one child. - Will All My Eggs Be Used at Once?
At NewLife Fertility Centre, we typically thaw six to eight eggs at a time. This way, you can have multiple attempts at pregnancy with each thaw cycle. If you’ve chosen to freeze our recommended 20 eggs, you can choose to attempt pregnancy again in another few years. - I Have Cancer. Is Egg Freezing for Me?
Egg freezing can be an excellent solution for women with cancer that might threaten their ovaries. If you’re starting chemotherapy or radiation soon, we can fast-track your treatment and begin the two-week egg freezing process right away. This is available for a reduced fee. - How Long Is The Entire Freezing Process?
Beginning with Day 1 of your period, an egg freezing cycle lasts two weeks. You can maintain your regular schedule throughout the process, with the addition of taking light medication and three to five brief office visits for monitoring. Your egg retrieval procedure is the only day you may have to alter your regular routine. The procedure takes about twenty minutes under light anesthesia and with minimal discomfort. You may return to work within 24 hours.
Success Rates and Considerations
Why Choose NewLife Fertility Centre for Egg Freezing?
Take the First Step Toward Fertility Preservation
