From 2009 to 2013, the number of US women who froze their eggs increased by 700 percent. And this jump in popularity is not surprising, because egg freezing offers a solution to a rather complex problem. Fertility begins to plummet when women turn 35, but they wait longer and longer before having a baby. With the help of freezing, the fairer sex will be able to preserve their young eggs in the highest quality, and then use them to try to get pregnant later.
Healthcare professionals are slowly getting used to this idea. In 2012, the American Society for Reproductive Medicine determined that egg freezing was no longer an experimental process. The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists followed in his footsteps two years later. Moreover, there is real evidence that it works: in the United States, about two thousand children have already been born, who were born from frozen eggs.
Subject of dispute
Some people say that egg freezing gives women the power to control their fertility. Others say it's a kind of patch: society needs better conditions to have children, not high-tech methods to delay pregnancy. And even though this process is no longer experimental, the organizations mentioned above do not allow egg freezing solely in order to postpone motherhood. They report that there is currently insufficient information to conclude with confidence that egg freezing can be freely recommended to everyone. These organizations only allow egg freezing for medical reasons, for example, if the patient needs to undergo other extensive treatment processes such as chemotherapy,which are likely to harm a woman's fertility. However, large companies like Apple or Facebook offer egg freezing to their employees as a work bonus. Corresponding private clinics appear everywhere, offering services for a certain price. So it seems that egg freezing will definitely not start to fade in the near future.
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Low success rate
At the moment, there is not much information yet, as this procedure is relatively new, but there is evidence that the probability that a frozen cell will create a child is only 2 to 12 percent. Most doctors collect several eggs, so experts estimate the chance as 25-50 percent, depending on the patient's age.
High price
One egg freezing cycle lasts four to six weeks. The cost of this procedure ranges from six to ten thousand dollars. This includes general tests, vaccinations and the actual operation itself (but does not include the cost of the annual storage of a frozen egg). In most cases, this procedure is not covered by a health insurance policy, although some insurance companies plan to introduce coverage for such a procedure if it is medically ordered. Also, it does not include the use of eggs to get pregnant. After all, they still need to be thawed, fertilized, then placed back in the uterus, which entails numerous visits to the doctor, tests and medications. This all adds up to eighteen thousand dollars.
What does it take to freeze an egg?
A survey was conducted of specialists involved in this procedure, as well as women who successfully went through it, in order to find out what the process of egg freezing actually looks like, starting with the first consultation and ending with paying bills. And that's how things stand.
Choosing a clinic
Not all clinics are created equal and you should definitely find the best in the area. Firstly, you need to find a place where you will be comfortable, and secondly, you need to choose an institution that will be convenient to get to, since you will often travel there. One cycle of egg freezing can involve a dozen visits to the doctor, and many women go through several cycles.
Blood test to determine the odds
When women first come to such a clinic, they take a blood test to check the level of three hormones: follicle-stimulating hormone, estradiol, and anti-muller hormone. All these studies will allow the doctor to tell what the patient's ovarian reserve is.
Get ready for hormone injections
If the tests show that you are suitable for further surgery, the doctor will prescribe hormonal drugs for you, which you will need to purchase at the pharmacy and inject into your abdomen over the next 10-12 days. If you are afraid of needles, egg freezing will not be a pleasant experience for you. These hormones stimulate the ovaries to produce more eggs and also prevent the eggs from entering the fallopian tubes prematurely.
Egg retrieval operation
Egg retrieval is an outpatient procedure that does not require surgery. You will be anesthetized and the surgeon will remove the eggs vaginally using a needle that will be guided with ultrasound.
Repetition to increase the chances
During one cycle, it is possible to extract up to ten eggs, but not all of them are of high enough quality to be frozen. Therefore, many women go through several cycles in order to get more eggs.
Look for storage space
So, the eggs are extracted, frozen using a rapid freezing method called vitrification. Once the eggs are frozen, they can be stored indefinitely, but no one will do it for free. Many clinics offer on-site egg storage, but you might want to look for a better deal as prices for a year of storage can range from $ 400 to $ 2,000.
Don't rely on egg freezing as the only way to get pregnant
Never forget that egg freezing should not be your Plan A for pregnancy. Many women who have undergone this procedure think that they are all right, since their eggs are frozen. However, it is always worth remembering that there is no guarantee that fertilization after thawing will be successful.
It can be emotionally difficult
Many women describe this process as an emotional storm caused by hormones. Therefore, you need to enlist emotional support, and also always remember that everything you do is for a good purpose.
Prepare and don't be afraid to ask questions
Professionals and patients alike reported that quality training was essential. Study absolutely everything on this topic yourself, always follow the news and check every step along the way. Regardless of which clinic you come to, you must always rely on yourself first. You need to keep track of everything and ask questions on every occasion. For example, when your doctor tells you the test results, don't turn around and walk away, but find out exactly what each of the results means.