Freezing
Egg freezing, or oocyte cryopreservation, is a process in which a woman’s eggs (oocytes) are extracted, frozen and stored as a method to preserve reproductive potential in women of reproductive age. The first human birth from a frozen oocyte was reported in 1986. Oocyte cryopreservation has advanced greatly over the past few years, with improved overall success of eggs surviving the freezing process. It is no longer considered an experimental procedure by the American Society for Reproductive Medicine. The techniques leading to enhanced gamete survival, potential fertilization and live birth rates allow women a much greater degree of autonomy than was possible even in the past 5 years. Egg freezing, also known as oocyte cryopreservation, is a process where a woman’s eggs (oocytes) are extracted, frozen, and stored to preserve her reproductive potential. The first human birth from a frozen egg was reported in 1986. Oocyte cryopreservation has significantly advanced in recent years, leading to improved success rates of eggs surviving the freezing process. It is now considered a standard procedure by the American Society for Reproductive Medicine. The improved techniques have increased the chances of egg survival, potential fertilization, and live birth rates, providing women with greater autonomy than was previously possible, even just five years ago.
Who Needs Egg (oocyte) Freezing?
– Women with cancer requiring chemotherapy and/or pelvic radiation therapy that may affect fertility.
– Surgery that may cause damage to the ovaries.
– Risk of premature ovarian failure due to chromosomal abnormalities (e.g., Turner syndrome, fragile X syndrome), or family history of early menopause.
– Ovarian disease with a risk of damage to the ovaries.
– Genetic mutations requiring the removal of the ovaries (e.g., BRCA mutation).
– Fertility preservation for social or personal reasons to delay childbearing.
How is Egg Freezing Done?
When considering egg freezing, your UCLA fertility specialist will begin by assessing your ovarian reserve to estimate how many eggs can be retrieved during the ovarian stimulation cycle. This assessment involves blood tests and a pelvic ultrasound to determine the appropriate medication dosage. Ovarian stimulation requires injectable hormonal medications, similar to those used in in vitro fertilization (IVF). After stimulation, the mature eggs are extracted along with the surrounding fluid from the ovarian follicles, while you are under sedation. The maturity of the eggs is then assessed, and only the mature ones are cryopreserved. Currently, the preferred method for preserving eggs is vitrification, which involves rapidly cooling the eggs in liquid nitrogen for storage.