Egg Freezing (Oocyte freezing)

Egg Freezing (Oocyte freezing)

Egg freezing is also called Oocyte cryopreservation. This method is used to preserve a woman’s fertility so that she could get pregnant in future. Successful pregnancies have been achieved after freezing eggs for up to 10 years. If you are contemplating egg freezing for preserving your fertility its preferable to do it before the age of 35 than after 35, as the number of eggs retrieved will be better thereby increasing the possibility of a successful conception.

How is it done?
The woman will be administered with Follicle-stimulating Hormone (FSH) injections for over a period of 10 – 14 days. These injections will increase follicular growth in her ovaries. These follicles have a potential to have an egg within each of them. She will be monitored with follicle monitoring ultrasound scans during this period. Once the desired follicular growth has been achieved she will be administered with a HCG injection to achieve final maturity of these eggs (Oocytes). The patient will be taken to theatre 36 hours after administering HCG injection for egg retrieval. Egg retrieval is undertaken under a short anaesthesia. Once these eggs are retrieved they will be handed over to our embryologist for assessment and freezing. You will be able to go home the same day of egg retrieval. Our embryologist will inform you about the number of eggs frozen.

Other conditions where we can do egg freezing includes:

1. Patients diagnosed with cancers where eggs reserves an be compromised due to surgery / radiotherapy / chemotherapy.
2. Women at risk of early menopause due to their family history.
3. Women who want to delay child bearing.
4. Women who don’t have a partner and would like to preserve their fertility.

Are children born using cryopreserved eggs normal ?
Current evidence does not reveal any increase in birth defects or chromosomal abnormalities in children born out of frozen eggs.

What are the success rates of a live birth when using frozen eggs?
Success rates are dependent on factors such as the age of the woman when freezing eggs, her BMI, her medical profile. These are factors which can influence success rates, otherwise the success rates as per evidence is similar to that of using fresh oocytes (eggs).

How do I start?
Once you have discussed your needs with our experts, they will advise an ultrasound scan to assess your ovaries, you will also be advised some blood tests to assess you egg reserves and general health. Our embryologists will meet you discuss about egg freezing. Once you are comfortable an appointment will be made for you at the time of your menstrual bleed (periods) for starting your cycle.