As a woman gets hold, the chances of chromosomal abnormalities increase so does risks of miscarriage and birth defects. Also, conceiving becomes quite difficult. Fortunately, egg freezing services help stop the biological clock, preserve young, healthy eggs, and expand reproductive options. For the majority of women looking forward to extending their childbearing days, this is the most attractive option. However, how successful is the procedure? How expensive is it? How invasive is it? Thus, women need to get details about this procedure before undergoing it.
What is egg freezing?
This process is known as cryopreservation in medical terms and involves stimulation of the ovaries with hormones so as to produce several eggs. It involves retrieving them from ovaries and freezing them in the lab to subzero temperatures until they are needed.
Reasons to freeze eggs
In fact, reasons vary from one woman to another. Some choose to have their eggs frozen because of medical reasons. For instance, cancer treatment is known to be toxic to ovaries and may cause premature menopause. However, it is not all medical. Over 75% of women who go for egg freezing do so because they do not have a partner. Or they are not in a relationship that is conducive to childbearing. Also, most women have something they want to accomplish before getting children. It does not matter whether it is school or career.
How risky or invasive is the procedure?
The procedure of retrieving eggs is quite similar to IVF. The procedure starts with a woman getting hormonal injections, which stimulate ovaries to produce eggs. During this stage, you need to visit the clinic on a regular basis, and ultrasound technology monitors your ovaries. After two weeks, the eggs are then retrieved.
The process of retrieving eggs takes about 15 minutes and is carried out u
nder sedation or anesthesia. The physician guides a needle through your vagina to the ovarian containing the egg. At the end of a needle is a suction device, which removes your eggs from follicles. Retrieving eggs process is not different from blood drawn. In fact, a needle gets into the ovaries and eggs are gently aspirated out.
Chances of getting a baby from frozen eggs
It is estimated that the chance of getting a baby is less than 12%. This explains why you need to have several eggs frozen to maximize the success. Moreover, success is based on various factors such as quality of partner’s sperm.