Oocyte Preservation

The concept of egg preservation overlaps with the concept of embryo preservation, but there is a difference between the two terms, as embryo preservation is the process of freezing embryos, that is, preserving already fertilized eggs, while egg preservation is the process of freezing an unfertilized eggs

What is oocyte preservation or freezing ?

Egg freezing, also known as mature oocyte cryopreservation, is a method used to preserve a woman’s ability to become pregnant in the future

Where eggs are extracted from a woman’s ovaries, frozen unfertilized, and stored for later use. The frozen egg can be thawed and fertilized with sperm in the laboratory and then implanted in the woman’s uterus artificial insemination)

To preserve the eggs there are several stages and steps

Egg preservation steps:

The first step: Stimulating the ovaries

A woman takes synthetic hormones to stimulate the ovaries to produce multiple eggs, rather than the single egg that is normally released each month

During treatment, the woman undergoes blood tests to measure her response to ovarian stimulation medications. Estrogen levels usually rise as follicles grow, and progesterone levels remain low even after ovulation.

Follow-up visits also include a transvaginal ultrasound, a procedure that uses sound waves to create an image of the inside of the ovaries, to monitor the development of the fluid-filled sacs where eggs (follicles) mature, and when the follicles are ready for egg retrieval after 10 to 14 days. Some injections and medications help on the maturation of eggs.

The second step: egg extraction

The eggs are extracted under anesthesia. A standard approach is transvaginal ultrasound aspiration, during which ultrasound is done inside the vagina to identify the follicles.

Then a needle will be guided through the vagina, and then into the follicles. An suction device attached to the needle is used to extract the egg from the follicle. Many eggs can be removed, and studies show that the more we extract up to 15 eggs per cycle, the better the chances of conceiving

Step Three: Freeze

Shortly after the unfertilized eggs are obtained, they are cooled to sub-zero temperatures to preserve them for future use.

The process often used to freeze eggs is called rapid cryopreservation. High concentrations of substances that help reduce the formation of ice crystals (freeze hazards) are used in addition to rapid cooling during the freezing process.

Thus ends the stages of the process of preserving eggs

When you want to use frozen eggs, those eggs will be thawed and fertilized with sperm in a lab, then implanted in woman’s womb. The chances of getting pregnant after implantation of the eggs in the uterus are about 30 to 60 percent, depending on your age at the time the egg was frozen. The older you are at the time of egg freezing, the less likely you are to have a baby in the future. When do we resort to the egg preservation technique          

Egg freezing may be an option if you’re not ready to get pregnant now but want to make sure you can get pregnant later.

You might consider egg freezing if:

You have a condition or conditions that could affect your fertility. This may include:

Sickle cell anemia

Autoimmune diseases such as lupus erythematosus

You need treatment for cancer or another disease that can affect your ability to get pregnant as some medical treatments, such as radiation or chemotherapy, may harm your fertility.

You would like to save young eggs now for future use. Keeping your eggs at a young age can help you get pregnant when you’re ready