Fertility Preservation & Egg Freezing
Egg freezing, also known as Cryopreservation or oocyte vitrification is a wonderful option for women who would like to extend or preserve their fertility. Having your eggs extracted and stored for future use may give you the best chance of conceiving later especially if you’re facing medical treatments for everything from chemotherapy to severe endometriosis or even health conditions such as an autoimmune disease. If you are considering postponing childbearing, this technique not only provides peace of mind, but it can also increase your chances of having a healthy, genetically related baby at an older age. Please review the list of common considerations and the answers to questions regarding cryopreservation below.
Common Circumstances to Consider Egg Freezing
- Are searching for a partner
- Are in a committed relationship, but not ready for children
- Are focusing on your education or career goals
- Have had unexpected life changes
- Are facing a fertility-threatening illness
- Are simply not ready
What is Cryopreservation?
Cryopreservation is the preservation and storage of eggs at a very low temperature until they can be revived and restored to the same state prior to storage. These low temperatures are possible with the use of liquid nitrogen which maintains the stored embryos and eggs at -196 degrees Celsius (-320.8 degrees Fahrenheit). Eggs and embryos can be cryopreserved for prolonged periods of time and function normally after they are thawed.
What is the process of egg freezing?
The process of egg freezing often begins with oral hormones to down-regulate the ovaries followed by injections to develop follicles for egg retrieval. The eggs are retrieved in-office, and the embryologist prepares the eggs for freezing.
What procedure is used for egg freezing?
We cryopreserve eggs using vitrification, the most effective procedure currently available. The vitrification process rapidly lowers the temperature of the eggs. The rapid drop in temperature enables the liquid containing the eggs to transition directly to a solid glasslike state thus preventing any ice crystal formation–a problem experienced with other methods of freezing that compromises the eggs. The eggs can remain frozen until the woman is ready to begin her family.
Are there fertility preservation options for women & men after cancer?
We currently have several options to preserve fertility for both women and men. The choice of which option is best for you depends on age, type of cancer and treatment, overall health, and your willingness to use donor eggs or sperm. The most commonly used preservation options with successful published results are embryo freezing, egg freezing, and sperm banking. CRM’s physicians and nurses will assist you and your oncologist in deciding which options are best for you and your unique needs prior to chemotherapy or radiation. Below are two examples of CRM options for patients before or during cancer treatments to review.
Ovarian Suppression
The use of ovarian suppression is a technique that is experimental and is an option for cancer patients. It is the only option that can be performed during cancer treatment. Medications are used to suppress the ovaries and prevent them from producing hormones or maturing eggs until after cancer treatment has finished.
Ovarian Tissue Freezing
Ovarian tissue freezing is an experimental technique but promising option that is good for patients with little or no time for ovarian stimulation before cancer treatment. One of a woman’s ovaries is surgically removed in a one-hour outpatient procedure. The ovary is divided, vitrified, and stored until cancer treatments are completed. Thawed tissue is then re-implanted and, when successful, the tissue resumes producing hormones and maturing eggs. Several babies have been produced through this method worldwide.