Egg Freezing in Turkey 2024 | The Medical Innovation Transforming the Future of Fertility
What is Egg Freezing?
Egg freezing is a method of preserving a woman’s unfertilized eggs to allow her to attempt pregnancy at a later time, when natural conception may be less likely.
It can be seen as a way to preserve fertility for women who are not in a position to have children immediately, or whose fertility is at risk due to medical reasons such as cancer treatment.
Frozen eggs can be stored for many years without significant deterioration. When a woman is ready to use her eggs, they are thawed and fertilized with sperm.
The goal is for the fertilized egg to develop into an embryo, which can then be transferred to the woman’s uterus, giving her a chance to become pregnant.
Having your eggs extracted and stored for future use (known as cryopreservation) can give you the best chance of having a baby later in life, especially if you are facing medical treatment such as chemotherapy, treatment for severe endometriosis, gender reassignment surgery, or if you have a medical condition such as an autoimmune disease that can affect fertility.
Who is a Good Candidate for Egg Freezing?
Determining whether egg freezing is a good option for you depends on several different factors that you will need to discuss with your doctor. For example, if you have been diagnosed with cancer, your eligibility for egg freezing may depend on the type of cancer and whether you have time to complete the fertility preservation process before starting treatment.
But for many women, the biggest factor to consider is the “biological clock.” In medical terms, this means that both the number and quality of your eggs decline as you get older. Eventually, you stop ovulating (releasing eggs from your ovaries for potential fertilization) when you reach menopause (usually between 45 and 55 years old). Age is the most important factor in the success of egg freezing.
Women who freeze their eggs before age 40 have a greater chance of achieving pregnancy using those eggs in the future. But a reproductive endocrinologist (fertility specialist) can provide tests to determine if you are a good candidate. “Egg freezing after age 40 is not typically recommended, but it may be considered on a case-by-case basis,” says Cross.
Steps of the Egg Freezing Process
While egg freezing is a multi-step process, it’s simpler than you might think. Dr. Cross explains, “It’s exactly the same process as IVF. The only difference is that after retrieving the eggs, we store them instead of fertilizing them.”
Here’s what you can expect:
- You will inject yourself with two to three hormonal medications daily for 10-12 days. (A friend or partner can help if needed.) This encourages a group of eggs to develop simultaneously.
- To monitor egg development during this period, you’ll undergo four to six pelvic ultrasounds and frequent blood tests.
- Once the eggs are mature, you’ll undergo a minor surgical procedure guided by ultrasound to extract them. This outpatient procedure takes 20-30 minutes under anesthesia.
- An embryologist (a specialist trained to examine eggs and embryos) will check the eggs for maturity, meaning they have the potential to be fertilized.
Where Are the Eggs Stored?
After the eggs are retrieved, they undergo vitrification—a process that rapidly freezes the eggs at an extremely low temperature. The eggs are stored in liquid nitrogen tanks in an embryology lab.
- A good embryology lab is characterized by:
- 24/7 monitoring systems with alarms to ensure equipment is functioning properly and the correct temperature is maintained.
- Manual temperature checks.
- Embryologists overseeing lab operations, and a certified senior embryologist managing the complex clinical lab.
- Certification from the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA), a government agency that regulates all laboratory testing.
Egg Freezing Success Rates
The chance of a live birth from frozen (vitrified) eggs is similar to the chance of a live birth from “fresh” eggs typically used in In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) treatment. The two most important factors in determining the chance of having a baby from frozen eggs are your age when the eggs are frozen and the number of eggs stored.
Currently, we expect the following success rates for egg freezing:
For women aged 35 or younger, one stimulation cycle will result in the collection of 10-13 eggs, of which 7-10 eggs will be suitable for vitrification and storage.
- Approximately 80-90% of eggs will remain viable after thawing in the future.
- Approximately 50-80% of the remaining eggs will be fertilized.
- Approximately 80-90% of fertilized eggs will develop into embryos.
- A single embryo will have a 20-35% chance of developing into a pregnancy.
Success rates are lower for women over 35, which is why we recommend preserving your fertility at an earlier age rather than waiting. If you are over 38, egg freezing may not be a suitable option.
Can you freeze your eggs if you have low AMH levels?
If you have low levels of AMH hormone, your fertility specialist will discuss with you whether egg freezing is a suitable option. Although the AMH test can provide information about the number of remaining eggs, it does not provide information about the quality of the eggs. Your fertility specialist will consider your AMH test results, your age, and other individual factors before recommending egg freezing.
How many eggs can be frozen?
Your fertility specialist will discuss with you the ideal number of eggs needed to achieve the best chance of pregnancy in the future. The number of eggs collected depends on individual circumstances such as age at egg collection and other fertility factors. Storage fees typically cover up to 10 eggs per batch.
In essence, this text provides an overview of egg freezing, including:
- The success rates based on age and other factors
- The factors that influence the success of the procedure
- The process involved in egg freezing
- The number of eggs that can be collected and stored
How Long Can Eggs Be Stored?
You can freeze your eggs for many years until you’re ready to use them. The process of using frozen eggs involves thawing them and completing in vitro fertilization (IVF).
The thawed eggs are fertilized either by your partner’s sperm or donor sperm to create embryos. The highest quality embryos will be transferred to your uterus at the optimal time in your cycle, with the hope of achieving pregnancy. Any remaining embryos from the thawed batch of eggs can be frozen again for future use.
Side Effects of Egg Freezing
While side effects are common, they are usually mild and occur due to the natural increase in hormone levels that happens during ovarian stimulation. These side effects may include:
- Mood swings
- Hot flashes
- Headaches
- Nausea
After the egg retrieval procedure, some women may experience:
- Bloating
- Cramping
- Mild pain
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