Egg Freezing: Fitness Guide, Benefits, Price And Everything About The Procedure

There was a time when women were about their biological clock running out of time. However, with the advancement in science, women now have the right to choose when and how they want to have a baby. With egg freezing, they have the option to pursue their career and not worry about their biological clock ticking like a time bomb.

Science has indeed made it easier for women to strike a balance between family and work life. Not only that, but women today have more bodily autonomy than they ever had. With this method, they have the freedom to take control of their reproductive health. However, it has its perils and complications that you should be wary of if you are thinking about going forward with the process.

We spoke to Dr Sumana Gurunath, Consultant - Infertility and Reproductive Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Cloudnine Group of Hospitals, Bengaluru

What Is Egg Freezing?

Egg freezing is a process in which eggs are extracted from a woman’s ovaries and frozen over time. You can utilise them in the later stage to conceive.

A few things that a person has to keep in mind include:

• You have to be physically and mentally fit to go ahead with the egg-freezing process.
• Your age will matter if you are thinking about freezing your eggs because every woman is born with a set number of eggs, and that number drastically starts reducing after the age of 35, added Dr Gurunath.
• If you decide to go ahead with the process at an early age, there is a high probability that the doctor will be able to extract high-quality eggs.
• The doctors at In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) centre will see if your weight is within a normal range according to your height you follow a fitness routine and have an active and healthy lifestyle.

Tests Conducted Before Egg Freezing

The doctor will first ensure that you are in the prime of your health. They will conduct a few tests on the second day of the period and start administering hormonal injections to grow and mature the eggs. Dr Gurunath added that this process can take about 10 days and you will be injected every day. Therefore, a person must be mentally and physically fit because the experience can be exhausting.

If the doctor gets a hint that the process will not be successful due to any physical or mental ailment, they will halt it until the next cycle. The patient is taken to the operation theatre and put under mild anaesthesia so that the doctor can collect the eggs. The expert said that the process is usually 15-20 minutes long.

When the expert has extracted eggs, they are studied in an IVF (IVF Diet) lab to ensure they meet the parameters. Among all eggs, only the mature eggs are stored and the rest are discarded. You can store these eggs for about a decade, but you should stay connected with the IVF facility.

When a woman wants to utilise these eggs, the doctors bring them to room temperature and get them ready for fertilisation. The doctors ensure that ovaries are neither overstimulated nor harmed during the process.

Complications Involved In Egg Freezing

Dr Gurunath said that there are no complications involved for a person who is in the health of their prime. However, a few risks are involved due to ovarian hyper-stimulation syndrome. It is when a woman develops multiple eggs that lead to a rise in levels of hormones. In some cases, it can make the blood thick, and there can be fluid accumulation inside the abdomen and around the lungs.

The expert also added that this complication can be detected and avoided. She added that though egg retraction is a minimally invasive procedure, however, much like any other surgery, there is a risk of bleeding, infection, and injury to the surrounding internal organs. She said that it is rarely encountered.

She added that another rare complication that can arise is the twisting of ovaries (How To Deal With Ovarian Cyst) post-retrieval of eggs. If a person has a pre-existing illness, it can increase the risk during surgery.

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Ideal Time And Price To Freeze Eggs

Dr Gurunath said that the ideal time to freeze eggs is between 30 to 36 years. If you try to freeze your eggs in the late 30s or early 40s, it can be a futile effort. Therefore, the expert suggested deciding before 36.

If you ask how many eggs are needed to increase the chances of conception to 70%. She said if a woman is between 30 to 34, the doctor will extract between 10-14 eggs at least. If you are in the age range of 35 to 37, at least 15-20 eggs need to be extracted. If you decide to go ahead with the process in the late 30s and early 40s, the expert will extract 25-30 eggs.

The cost of one round of egg freezing is approximately ₹80,000. The price of storing eggs for six months is around ₹30,000. It is an expensive process, but if you pick the right time for the procedure, you can increase your chances of conceiving in the later stage of life.

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