What is Egg Freezing?
Egg freezing is simply storing a woman’s unfertilised eggs to allow her to try to conceive when she is ready. Egg freezing is a great way to preserve the possibility of fertility for women who are not in a position to become pregnant straight away or whose fertility is at risk for medical reasons such as cancer treatment.
Frozen eggs may be stored for many years without significant deterioration. When the woman is ready to use her eggs, they are warmed and then fertilised with sperm. The aim is for the fertilised egg to develop into an embryo, which can then be transferred to the woman’s uterus, giving a chance of pregnancy.
Why Freeze?
Many people wish to focus on their career, study further, wait until they have found the right person, or simply are not ready to start a family. So, this is where elective egg freezing comes in. Elective egg freezing allows you to preserve your fertility and build a family when you are ready.
You may also choose elective egg freezing if you are a couple (heterosexual or same-sex) wanting to delay parenthood and for birth-designated females who are medically transitioning from female to male but still want a chance to become a biological parent.
Lastly, many medical reasons may make a woman consider egg freezing. Anything from cancer to genetic disorders or a family history of illnesses can make egg freezing a necessity.
If you are interested in freezing your eggs in Sydney, Dr Anthony Marren can help. Book an initial consultation with us today, and take control of your fertility journey.
How does the process of egg freezing in Sydney work?
The process of freezing eggs in Sydney is relatively straightforward and only requires minor day surgery. Dr Anthony Marren will be there to discuss your personalised fertility treatment plan and ensure your procedure is successful. Our standard process covers:
- Pre-treatment consultation and treatment plan — To start the process of egg freezing in Sydney, you’ll first sit down for an in-person consultation with Dr Marren. You’ll undergo blood tests and an ultrasound to determine the right treatment plan for you. Dr Marren will then determine your treatment plan based on the results of these tests and a comprehensive understanding of your
personal circumstances. As part of this process, there may also be counselling sessions offered. - Egg stimulation — For around ten days, your ovaries will be stimulated by a series of injections you administer yourself. During this time, we will also monitor your process with several blood tests and ultrasounds at our Sydney clinic. This is all to maximise the quality and health of the eggs we will collect to be frozen.
- Egg collection — When it’s time to undergo egg freezing in Sydney, you’ll come into our clinic for a short collection procedure. Generally, this procedure will take approximately 20 minutes, although we recommend taking a full day to recover and rest afterwards.
- Vitrification and storage — Your eggs are then vitrified using the latest in freezing technology, Genea’s exclusive freezing system Gavi®, and safely stored with us until you’re ready to use them.
When to Freeze?
The choice to freeze eggs will be unique to each person or couple.
Age is a big factor in female fertility, so many women freeze their eggs early to delay creating a family until the time is right. As a general rule, a person’s fertility and the viability of their eggs peaks at around 25 years old and will begin to deteriorate rapidly past age 35. While everyone is different, arranging for egg freezing in this window typically ensures that the best quality and highest quantity of eggs are available for collection.
If you think you might want to have a family of your own someday but aren’t ready now, freezing your eggs allows you to keep your options open.
Age is not the only factor that can affect female fertility. Genetics, lifestyle factors, underlying health conditions and the results of certain medical treatments can all affect the amount and quality of your eggs. If the quality of your eggs has been compromised for any of these reasons, they may be less receptive to freezing, thawing and fertilisation.
Many women are unsure of their current fertility health status, so if you’re considering freezing, get in contact today for a fertility health check and next steps.
So, What’s Next?
The first step is to book an initial consultation with us. We will discuss your medical and fertility history at your first appointment and arrange pre-screening tests to better understand your current fertility health. Once this has been determined, we will outline a treatment plan.
FAQs
Many personal circumstances make someone a good candidate for freezing eggs in Sydney. If you are in your mid to late 20s and early to mid-30s but aren’t yet ready to start a family, you may be an ideal candidate for this treatment. It’s also well suited to anyone assigned female at birth who is medically transitioning from male to female but still wants the option to naturally conceive, individuals who do not yet have a partner they would like to start a family with, anyone whose fertility may be affected by medical treatment and those looking to take control of their fertility for any number of other reasons.
While egg freezing does not guarantee successful fertilisation and pregnancy, it maximises your potential chance of getting pregnant and carrying a baby to term. Because your eggs become increasingly fragile to the freezing and thawing process the more you age, freezing your eggs as early as possible will improve your statistical chances of successful IVF treatment and egg fertilisation.
Proper storage conditions allow your collected eggs to be frozen for many years without impacting their quality or viability. Because it’s important to collect eggs at the peak of your fertility, we recommend setting up an initial consultation shortly after you start considering egg freezing to maximise the potential of your unfertilised eggs.
The cost of egg freezing in Sydney may vary depending on the number of cycles you require, the amount of time you intend to store your eggs, whether medications are required as part of your treatment, and the cost of your day surgery for egg collection. Book a consultation with Dr Anthony Marren today to discuss the costs associated with this fertility procedure.
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