Freezing Time - An “Egg”citing Option?
Medical advancements have made possible for a woman to beat her biological clock and have babies at will. Close to an estimated five thousand babies have been born through this technique. Egg freezing is gaining popularity as many working women are choosing to delay pregnancies. Being aware of the fact that fertility reduces with age, this seems to be a convenient option. The corporate world also seems to be recognising this social shift. Apple and Facebook announced plans to offer workers egg freezing as a health plan benefit. This procedure comes in handy also when women want to preserve their eggs before opting for medical reasons like chemotherapy which may adversely affect their fertility.
The first reported egg freezing was in 1986 and very recently 42 year old ex- Miss World Diana Hayden too had a baby girl from her eggs frozen almost eight years ago.
How Does It Work?
Usually, a woman releases one mature egg into the uterus every month. A mature egg is one which is ready to be fertilised. For freezing eggs, first fertility drugs are given to stimulate the ovaries to churn out more mature eggs at a time. Then the eggs are retrieved under sedation with the help of a needle which is guided into each ovary. Eggs are harvested from the ovaries, frozen unfertilized and stored for later use. When pregnancy is desired, the frozen egg is thawed, combined with a sperm in a lab and the embryos are implanted in the uterus (in vitro fertilization). Eggs can be frozen even for a decade before the implant and the quality does not come down with increase in time.
Frozen eggs last forever but not all eggs survive thawing. A newer technique known as vitrification uses ultra-rapid cooling that causes less damage to the egg than actual freezing.
What Is The Best Age To Freeze?
It is better to freeze eggs at a younger age, preferably in the 20s as the chance of having more number of eggs is better. Doctors suggest that in any case, eggs should be frozen before a woman hits 35. Not all eggs survive the thawing process or fertilise. Hence, doing so at a younger age increases the odds of a more successful outcome. The risk of miscarriage is more if the eggs are frozen at an older age.
Odds of Pregnancy.
About 90 percent of eggs survive freezing and thawing, and about 75 percent will be successfully fertilized. Depending on the age the eggs are frozen, the chances of becoming pregnant are inversely proportional. The odds are less if you are older. The chances of becoming pregnant after implantation are approximately between 40 to 60 percent.
Risks for Mom and Baby.
The risks are similar to other IVF procedures and there is no proven evidence of babies having abnormal birth defects as a result of being born out of frozen eggs. The use of fertility drugs, very rarely though, can cause ovarian hyper-stimulation syndrome where the ovaries can become swollen and painful after egg retrieval. This condition is not very common and typically, a woman can resume normal activities within a week of egg retrieval. But one must acknowledge the fact that every medical procedure, particularly invasive ones, come with some risks.
Cost Factor.
Egg freezing does not come cheap. The cost can go up to Rs.2 lakhs.
Whatever the reasons are for egg freezing, it has to be kept in mind that there will be some physical discomfort and the success rate is still not very high. The technique may not be perfect but for women willing to take chances and pay the price, it may still be an explorable option.
