Freeze before Failure
Do you want to have a child, but are not ready to? What should we do?
We are all getting older every day, but if you are still waiting until you are absolutely ready to have a child, won’t that make your eggs too old to be of use?
Modern women are marrying later in today’s society, with the average marrying age being over 35 years old. This is because most of them are dedicated to their jobs, prefer to live independently, or are waiting for the right person to start a family with (Melinda Mills et al., 2011). However, as their bodies age, the number and quality of their eggs also decrease (Danilo Cimadomo et al., 2018; Chia-Jung Li et al., 2021). Egg freezing is thus another viable option for preserving egg cells at their healthiest for future use.
What is Egg Freezing?
Egg freezing or oocyte cryopreservation is a procedure used in assisted reproductive technology (ART) to preserve egg cell quality for future use. The technique stops cell function by lowering the temperature of the cells to sub-zero temperatures and using prevent ice formation agents called Cryoprotective Additives (CPAs) to avoid damage to the oocytes that could be caused by cold temperatures. After that, the egg cells will be stored in liquid nitrogen at a temperature of -196 °C, which is currently used in “Vitrification”, a faster and more convenient freezing method that also boosts the survival rate after warming when compared with other techniques. In addition, its Clinical Pregnancy Rate (CPR) is also close to the success rate of fresh oocytes (Nadiye Köroğlu et al., 2023).
Why should I have my eggs preserved?
The number and quality of female oocytes decrease with age, especially in women over 35, making fertility more difficult. Those who want to have children should therefore have their egg cells preserved as soon as possible. Normally, it is best to have eggs frozen between the ages of 25 and 35 because the earlier the egg cells are preserved, the higher their quality. Egg freezing also increases your chances of becoming pregnant as you can use egg cells preserved at a young age despite you getting older. These younger preserved oocytes also lower the chances of the child being born with chromosomal abnormalities. Therefore, it is recommended that those planning to have children should have their egg cells preserved as soon as possible (Pooja Rajesh, 2023).
How to Prepare for Egg Freezing
When you decide to preserve your eggs, first of all is seeing a doctor for a physical examination and assessment of ovarian function. Methods such as the Anti-Mullerian Hormone (AMH) test can be used to tell the ovarian reserve and ovarian function. If the ovaries are in prime condition, the collection process can proceed. However, if the assessment finds that the functional condition of the ovaries is not ready, you should make additional preparations to improve the chances of success. This can be done by exercising regularly 2-3 times per week, eating healthy food, and taking vitamin supplements, including CO-Q10 and folic acid before resuming the egg freezing process.
Egg Freezing Process
It starts with an injection to stimulate the ovaries to produce a large number of oocytes. When the egg cells are fully grown, being approximately 17-20 millimeters in size, HCG hormone will be injected to make the eggs mature. At 36 hours after the injection, the egg cells will be retrieved by using a suction device through the vagina. Embryologists will then select only mature oocytes (MII) to be vitrified. (Vitrification)
Egg Freezing Success Rate
In 2016, a 34-year-old woman visited our Jetanin Hospital to have her eggs preserved using Vitrification. After 6 years of freezing, the 40-year-old client had 6 of her eggs defrosted in 2022, with 100% of them intact and a fertilization rate of 67%. 3 of the 4 fertilized embryos, or 75%, could reach the blastocyst stage after 5 days of culture. The embryos were then checked for chromosomes, resulting in two embryos with normal chromosomes being obtained, frozen, and ready for future implantation.
Currently, it is recommended that at least 10-15 egg cells of good quality be frozen in order to conceive a child. The success rate is determined by the mother’s ovarian reserve and egg quality at the time the eggs are frozen – the younger the mother, the better the chance of success (Maurizio Poli et al., 2021).