Egg freezing

Egg cryopreservation is a method that has recently begun to be used in Assisted Reproduction in cases where there are:

• Women who want to maintain their fertility and postpone starting a family
• Women with reduced ovarian function or endometriosis
• Women who are about to undergo oncology treatment and are at increased risk of losing the ability to fertilize
• Couples who for moral or religious reasons want to avoid freezing embryos

The cryopreservation technique that is applied is that of rapid freezing – vitrification. The survival rate of eggs after thawing exceeds 90%. Cryopreservation of fertilized eggs is a promising method that meets the needs arising from the modern lifestyle of many women and seems that it will offer a lot in the field of assisted reproduction.

When should the freezing be made?

Here, the phrase “the sooner the better” applies. We usually set a limit age of 38 years, always following a detailed evaluation of a woman’s health and reproductive ability based on her medical history (hormonal profile, diagnosis of other health problems, etc.). If a woman freezes her eggs at 35 and decides to get pregnant with at 42, then her reproductive age is 35and not 42. In other words, this method “freezes time”. The most common mistake women make, however, is that they decide to do so when it is too late. A woman over 40 will not have the same results as a younger one.