How Egg Freezing Process Empowers Women’s Fertility Choices

In a world where women juggle their careers, relationships and personal goals, making choices about their motherhood can feel overwhelming. What if you could pause time and preserve your fertility for a future you have not yet defined? This is where egg freezing emerges as a powerful tool, giving women more control over their reproductive journey. 

 

This blog explores who can opt for egg freezing, the egg freezing process, and how it can impact your chances of becoming a mother.

A] What Is Egg Freezing?

 

Egg freezing, also known as oocyte cryopreservation, empowers women to preserve their fertility by pausing the ageing of their eggs until they’re ready to conceive. This procedure involves harvesting, freezing and storing women’s eggs for future use. The egg freezing process involves injecting hormone injections to stimulate the ovaries and cause multiple eggs to mature at once. These eggs are then retrieved and frozen using a rapid cooling method known as vitrification that prevents the formation of ice crystals before freezing retrieved eggs. 

 

Are you ready to explore your options for fertility preservation? Dr. Hrishikesh Pai offers egg freezing services in Mumbai along with other services to help you gain control over your reproductive health.

 

B] Who Should Consider Egg Freezing?

 

There are many reasons to consider egg freezing, but the most common reasons are to delay conception, preserve fertility or donate eggs. 

 

Many women choose egg freezing to postpone motherhood, allowing them to focus on education, career goals, or personal aspirations.  Freezing eggs at a younger age increases the likelihood of successful conception later.

 

Meanwhile, for patients experiencing severe health complications that might impact their fertility, such as patients undergoing chemotherapy, having PCOS or endometriosis, the doctors may encourage them to freeze eggs before undergoing treatments to preserve their fertility.

 

Individuals born with ovaries who are considering gender transition may freeze their eggs to maintain future fertility options before undergoing hormone therapy or surgery. Egg freezing is also used for egg donation, allowing women to help others achieve their dream of becoming parents.

 

C] The Egg Freezing Process

 

While the egg freezing timeline may vary,  the entire egg freezing procedure takes around 2 to 3 weeks. Most cycles are done in less than 2 weeks. The procedure is as follows:

 

1. Consultation and Initial Testing

 

First, you need to meet with your fertility doctor to discuss your options to freeze your eggs. The doctor thoroughly examines with a complete medical history, blood work and hormone testing. You might also be expected to undergo a transvaginal ultrasound to perform an antral follicle count to assess your ovarian reserve or the number of eggs remaining in your ovaries. During this time, the fertility doctor will recommend a stimulation protocol to ensure that the maximum number of eggs can be safely retrieved without putting you at risk of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome. There is a very slight chance of  0.1%–2% of patients experiencing severe ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome.

 

2. Ovarian Stimulation

 

During the second step of the egg freezing procedure, the doctors prescribe birth control pills to synchronise follicle response to stimulation medications. You will be monitored either with blood tests or ultrasounds to ensure that you begin stimulation injections at the right time. Once cleared to start injections, the physician will provide detailed instructions for self-administering the injections. Stimulation injections are administered subcutaneously over 10-12 days in the belly. Doctors adjust dosage based on body response. Ovaries may enlarge by day 5 or 7, and monitoring visits are conducted. Once follicles reach size, a trigger shot is administered.

 

3. Egg Retrieval

 

Another step involved in the process of egg freezing is egg retrieval. Also known as egg harvesting, it is part of the egg freezing procedure to remove the eggs from your ovaries. During the egg retrieval, the doctor will use a transvaginal ultrasound probe with a needle. The fluid inside the follicles that contain the eggs is aspirated and collected into the tubes, which are then given to the embryologist. The embryologist will examine the follicular fluid and identify the eggs. The entire process takes around 20 minutes to complete. The number of eggs retrieved depends on age and ovarian reserve. In general, people over 40 have fewer eggs compared to younger or under 35 during the egg retrieval process. 

 

4. Freezing and Storage

 

After the eggs are retrieved, they undergo a rapid freezing process called vitrification. This technique protects the eggs by freezing them instantly so that no ice crystals can form, have time to form, which could damage the eggs. Once frozen, the eggs are placed in specialised tanks containing liquid nitrogen at very low temperatures. This ensures that the eggs remain viable for several years, utilised when the woman is ready to fertilise.  With proper storage conditions, frozen eggs can be safely kept for a long time, making this a reliable option for future family planning.

 

D] How Long Can Eggs Be Stored?

 

Frozen eggs can be stored for many years while maintaining their quality and potential for fertilisation. When frozen using advanced techniques like vitrification, it is suggested that the eggs remain viable for over a decade. Thawing the preserved eggs allows women to attempt pregnancy when they desire to become pregnant. For women planning, knowing the egg freezing timeline and consulting a fertility specialist regarding long-term storage can provide a reliable option for future planning.

 

E] Does Egg Freezing Affect IVF Success Rate?

 

Egg freezing does not directly impact IVF success rates but is influenced by multiple factors. The success of frozen and fertilised eggs resulting in pregnancies depends on various factors, some of which are as follows: 

• Age at Freezing: Generally, younger eggs show better viability. The best age to freeze the eggs is when a woman is in her late 20s or early 30s. 
• Freezing Period: The period for which the eggs are frozen can determine the success rate of the eggs. 
• Number of Eggs: The more frozen eggs, the higher the chances of a successful pregnancy. 

Egg freezing is very effective, but one also needs to take into account the following: 

• General Health and Lifestyle: A woman’s general health and lifestyle choices will influence the quality of her eggs and, thus, the possibility of IVF. So, 
• Natural Improvement of Egg Quality: If you are wondering how to improve your egg quality naturally, healthy lifestyle changes will help with good egg quality, thus increasing success rates.

Conclusion

Egg freezing offers women the freedom to preserve their fertility and plan their future according to their own terms. Whether for medical reasons, career goals or personal reasons, egg freezing is a powerful option for women who want flexibility and motherhood. With advancements in reproductive medicine, success rates for thawing, fertilisation, and pregnancy continue to improve. Consulting with a specialist is the first step if you are considering this path. 

Consult Dr. Hrishikesh Pai, an experienced IVF doctor in Mumbai who provides expert egg freezing and fertility preservation services to help you on your reproductive journey. Book your appointment today and explore your options for future planning!