Egg freezing, also known as mature oocyte cryopreservation, is a method used to preserve a woman’s reproductive potential. Eggs are harvested from your ovaries, frozen unfertilized and stored for later use. A frozen egg can be thawed, combined with sperm in a lab and implanted in your uterus (in vitro fertilization). However, only a small portion of eggs that are frozen, thawed and implanted result in the birth of a baby.
Your doctor can help you understand how egg freezing works, the potential risks and whether this method of fertility preservation is right for you.
Egg freezing might be an option if you re not ready to become pregnant now but want to try to ensure your ability to get pregnant or have a biological child in the future.
Unlike with fertilized egg freezing (embryo cryopreservation), egg freezing doesn’t require a participating male partner or use of a sperm donor because the eggs won’t be fertilized before they’re frozen. Just as with embryo freezing, however, you’ll need to use fertility drugs to induce ovulation so that you’ll produce multiple eggs for retrieval.
You're about to undergo cancer treatment. Certain cancer treatments — such as radiation or chemotherapy — can harm your fertility. Egg freezing before treatment might allow you to have biological children at a later date.
You're undergoing in vitro fertilization. If your partner isn't able to produce sufficient sperm on the day you have your eggs retrieved, egg freezing might be needed. When undergoing in vitro fertilization, some people prefer egg freezing to embryo freezing for religious or ethical reasons.
Egg freezing might be appealing if you're concerned about age-related infertility, but the method isn't recommended for this purpose due to the risks, costs and limited success rates.
You can use your frozen eggs to try to conceive a biological child with sperm from a partner or a sperm donor. A donor can be known or anonymous. The embryo can also be implanted in the uterus of a gestational carrier.
Aurawomen is a trusted online portal for addressing all your fertility issues. With a team of fertility experts, it can help you realize your dream of parenthood. Experts at Aurawomen, offers best advice on fertility issues and recommends the best Egg Freezing clinic and doctor near you. Call now for details.