Karishma Mehta, the CEO of Humans of Bombay, recently made a very important personal announcement on social media: she has frozen her eggs at 32. This step represents an important movement in the quest for reproductive control, a measure that is becoming increasingly routine for women with an increasing trend to focus more and more on career, health, and their life in general.
In her post, she mentioned that it had been something she had been planning for some time and was finally able to accomplish. At the age of 32, the decision by Mehta, freezing her eggs, will be the first important step of reproductive control she embarks on in handling her reproductive life. The rising trend of egg freezing is gaining momentum as more women focus on their careers, health, and personal lives, rather than feeling pressured to have children at a time that may not align with their goals.
What is egg freezing?
Egg freezing is also known as oocyte cryopreservation, which is harvesting eggs from the ovaries and freezing them in order to store them for use later. It forms one form of Assisted Reproductive Technology, or ART. Medications trigger the ovaries to produce a number of eggs, which are retrieved in a minimally invasive procedure. Later, the thawed eggs are combined with sperm and made into an embryo, which is placed into the uterus by embryo transfer.
Egg freezing is not only for preserving fertility but also in egg donation programs where eggs are donated for usage by other people. The most relevant advantage of freezing eggs is the opportunity for individuals to harvest eggs at a younger age, thereby increasing the chances of successful conception later, though it does not guarantee pregnancy.
Egg freezing process
The whole process for freezing an egg takes 2 to 3 weeks, though it may be completed in less than two weeks, depending on individual circumstances.
- Consultation with a doctor
The first step is to meet with a fertility doctor who will review your medical history and perform necessary tests. This includes blood work, hormone testing, and an ultrasound (called an antral follicle count) to assess your ovarian reserve—an indicator of how many eggs are left in your ovaries. The doctor will also determine an appropriate stimulation protocol to help your ovaries produce multiple eggs, while minimizing risks like ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS).
- Preparations of ovaries for making eggs
There is the other stage, preparation of the ovaries to be able to start producing eggs. That may come by taking oral contraceptives or using drugs like estrogen or Lupron that synchronize follicles. You can be ensured that your follicles would start responding uniformly on you when using the later stimulants.
After the synchronizing, you’ll begin having hormone injections that will help your ovaries produce a few eggs. It’s usually with daily injections for almost 10 to 12 days. During this time, you will be observed every day through blood tests and ultrasound as your follicles develop. Your doctor may also be escalating your medication based on your responses.
- Process for egg collection
The final procedure is the retrieval of the egg after maturation of the follicles. The procedure is painless and requires general anesthesia. A puncture is created with a needle that goes into the ovaries in the vaginal wall to extract the eggs. This process usually lasts between 10 to 20 minutes. This is when the eggs are collected and forwarded to an embryologist who picks up and tests the eggs.
Most people will feel some mild cramping, bloating, or vaginal spotting post-retrieval, which is usually self-limiting and will resolve in one day. Retrieved eggs are immediately frozen through a process called vitrification whereby rapid freezing prevents the formation of damaging ice crystals, thereby maximising the chance of preserving the eggs.
Who should consider egg freezing?
The primary reasons for freezing eggs include delaying the pregnancy because of career or personal reasons, preserving fertility due to health issues, or donating. For younger people, especially those in their early and mid-20s and the early 30s, freezing eggs may improve chances of successful conception later in life.
In addition, those undergoing chemotherapy drugs that have adverse effects on fertility and patients with conditions such as PCOS or endometriosis can opt for egg freezing as a means of preserving their fertility. Another primary target market is those individuals undergoing gender transition who freeze eggs before undergoing hormone therapy or surgery.
Egg freezing: Risks and side effects
Though most women suffer from minimal side effects, egg freezing is not without risks. For example, one risk is ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome, a reaction to stimulation drugs in which the ovaries swell. Other side effects include mood swings caused by hormone treatments, irritation of the skin at injection sites, or, more rarely, ovarian torsion, in which the ovaries twist painfully.
Egg freezing in women related FAQs
Is the freezing of an egg process painful?
The retrieval is done under anesthesia, so you won’t feel pain during the procedure, but some cramping or soreness is common afterward.
What is the ideal age to freeze eggs?
The best age for egg freezing is usually under 35, since with age, the fertility decreases. Though freezing can be done even after 35, success rates may decline.
Are there risks to the fetus when using a frozen egg?
There are no known risks to the fetus when using a frozen egg; however, genetic testing on embryos can be performed to screen for potential issues.
What is the percentage of success in egg freezing?
The success rate depends on factors such as age and the quality and quantity of eggs frozen. In fact, freezing 20 eggs under the age of 35 may ensure a live birth with a high chance of about 94.4%.
Also Read | Think your home is safe? Harvard doctor warns of 3 harmful items to throw out now