Introduction to Egg Freezing: Your Guide to Egg Freezing

Egg freezing, or oocyte cryopreservation, is a process where a woman's eggs are retrieved, frozen, and stored, preserving the eggs for future use. This allows for delayed childbearing while maintaining egg quality.

Egg freezing is utilised for both medical and social reasons, providing women with the opportunity to delay childbearing until they are ready or able to conceive.

Egg freezing was first developed in the 1980s to help women facing medical treatments that could harm their fertility.

In 1986, a Singaporean, Dr. Christopher Chen, reported a successful pregnancy from a frozen egg, leading to the birth of twins in Australia. However, due to initially low success rates, the technique wasn't widely used again until a decade later.

Egg freezing falls into two categories: elective and medical. Elective or social egg freezing is chosen to delay childbearing for personal or career reasons.

Medical egg freezing is recommended for those undergoing treatments like chemotherapy that may harm fertility.

Egg freezing is ideal for those who want to preserve fertility due to medical or personal reasons. If you're in your 20s or early 30s and not ready for parenthood, this option helps safeguard future fertility.

Those facing cancer treatments like chemotherapy or radiation can also benefit, as these medical treatments can impact egg quality. Career-driven individuals or those prioritizing education may choose egg freezing to extend their reproductive timeline while keeping options open.

Today, women are having children later in life. In the US, the average age of a woman having her first baby was 22 in 1980, and by 2021, it had risen to 27.3.

This trend is common in developed countries. Egg freezing allows women to delay pregnancy for medical and elective reasons, providing flexibility in family planning.

According to the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) and the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology (SART):

1. The survival rate of oocytes after vitrification and thawing is 90%–97%.
2. Fertilisation rates range from 71%–79%.
3. Implantation rates range from 17%–41%.
4. Clinical pregnancy rates per vitrified oocyte range from 4.5% to 12%.

Success rates vary by factors like location, technology, and individual circumstances. However, egg freezing does not guarantee a successful pregnancy or live birth, so it’s essential to manage expectations.