If you’re wondering whether or not you should freeze your eggs, start by asking yourself these questions:
How old are you?
How many kids are in your ideal family?
How old will you be when you have your first child?
How old will you be when you have your last child?
Now, think about the basics.
You were born with all the eggs you’re ever going to have–about 2 million. By the time of your first period, that number is down to 400,000-500,000 and you lose eggs every month regardless of whether you take birth control or not.
Doctors typically point to the age of 35 as the point in which fertility declines. However, this isn’t a switch that turns off one day. As you age, your eggs age with you. Both quantity and quality declines.
Poor egg quality can result in an increased risk of miscarriage or genetic abnormalities.
So what is egg freezing?
Egg freezing is the process of extracting eggs from the ovaries and freezing them for later use. Frozen eggs are stored in a secure facility and they can be kept there for as long as you wish. Your frozen eggs will be the same age as you were when you froze them, so if you end up needing them in the future, you can use them through in-vitro fertilization or IVF.
Reasons to consider egg freezing
There are many reasons to consider egg freezing. A few that have been outlined by some of our patients include:
- You are currently focusing on your career
- You have personal goals to meet before starting a family
- You haven’t found the right partner yet
- You are waiting for financial stability
- You have a medical condition that can affect your fertility
- You are not sure you want children, but would like to have younger eggs available if you decide to have children
Does egg freezing guarantee a baby?
The truth is not every egg will result in an embryo, not every embryo will result in a pregnancy, and not every pregnancy will result in a baby.
As such, there is no guarantee that freezing your eggs will result in a future pregnancy or baby.
Knowledge is power
To help you make an informed decision about freezing your eggs, a Kindbody physician will start off your journey with a fertility consultation, which includes an ultrasound of your ovaries and a medical history review. Your fertility consultation will provide a better sense of your current ovarian reserve.
