Preserving the Future: 4 Facts About Egg Freezing
Did You Know?: In 1986, Dr. Christopher Chen of Singapore reported the world's first pregnancy employing previously frozen eggs. Over a decade later, Dr. Lilia Kuleshova became the first scientist to use frozen human eggs leading to a live birth.
Freezing your eggs, also called egg freezing or oocyte cryopreservation, offers many people an effective way to safeguard their future potential for having children later in life. Egg freezing has become increasingly popular among modern women, as more women are pursuing their careers, education, and other life goals than ever before. As with any medical procedure, the more you know about egg freezing, the better you can prepare and work toward a successful outcome. Here are four fast facts to know about egg freezing.
1. Eggs Are Frozen Using Highly Advanced Technology
The techniques used in egg freezing have significantly improved over the years, making it a viable option for women who want to delay childbirth for various reasons, including career, education, or personal choice. The technology used to freeze eggs is called vitrification, which involves treating the eggs with cryoprotectants and then flash-freezing them into a glasslike state. This rapid cooling process minimizes the formation of ice crystals and cellular damage, making it much easier and more effective to thaw the eggs later on.
2. Elective Egg Freezing Empowers Women
Some women choose to freeze their eggs for personal reasons (also known as elective egg freezing), giving them more control over their reproductive choices and allowing them to pursue other life goals without the pressure of age-related fertility decline.
3. Egg Freezing Can Give Peace of Mind to Women With Cancer
Egg freezing is often recommended to women who have recently been diagnosed with cancer and need to undergo cancer treatments. Many life-saving cancer treatments, including radiation and chemotherapy, can unintentionally cause significant damage to the female reproductive system. Being diagnosed with cancer is difficult enough, and many women experience even further heartbreak when they realize that their future chances of having a child may be affected by the treatment they need. However, through oncofertility, female cancer patients have the option of freezing their eggs before starting treatment. This allows them to focus on their health while also keeping hope of having a child in the future.
4. Egg Freezing Is an Important Aspect of Reproductive Health for Trans & Gender-Diverse Individuals
Many trans men and gender-diverse individuals who possess eggs and ovaries embark on diverse journeys of gender-affirming procedures and therapy. These transformative experiences, essential to their identity, can sometimes affect their ability to have a child biologically related to them. Thankfully, egg freezing offers a beacon of hope, enabling anyone with eggs to preserve their precious genetic materials before undergoing these vital gender-affirming steps. This empowering option grants individuals the freedom to embrace their authentic selves without sacrificing the possibility of a biological connection with their future children.
Is Egg Freezing Right For You?
Egg freezing is a powerful form of fertility care that gives many people options that they otherwise would not have. If you’re considering egg freezing and live in the New York City metropolitan area, contact Chelsea Fertility NYC. Our fertility specialists have long been champions and advocates of egg freezing and are committed to helping anyone pursue their family-building dreams on their own terms.
