Egg freezing vs. other fertility preservation options: making informed choices
As a woman, your fertility levels may fluctuate for a number of reasons throughout your lifetime.
During your menstrual cycle, you are most fertile while you’re ovulating. However, when you reach your mid 30s, your fertility will naturally start to decline. This may make conceiving naturally more difficult, meaning you may need to receive additional support in the form of fertility treatment when trying to start a family.
Although your fertility can decline and be affected by various factors, including certain medical treatments, there are ways you can preserve it. In this guide, we explain the key fertility preservation options available to women to help you decide which one is right for you and to help you make a more informed choice.
Who is fertility preservation for?
There are many reasons why you may want to preserve your fertility. For example:
You want to achieve personal career goals before starting a family
You’re not currently in a relationship
You’re unsure about whether you want to have children
You have a family history of premature menopause (going through menopause before the age of 45)
You have recurrent ovarian cysts
You’re about to undergo surgery that will result in the removal of your ovaries
You have endometriosis
You’re transgender about to have gender affirming surgery or start hormonal treatments
You are undergoing treatment for cancer or rheumatic conditions which may impact your ovaries
Whether your reasons are social or medical, there are plenty of reasons why freezing your eggs can be beneficial.
Egg freezing
Freezing your eggs is exactly as the name suggests. However, there are a few more steps involved to ensure the process protects your fertility over the long term.
Choosing to freeze your eggs gives you the gift of time, something which many women want when it comes to their fertility journey.
The egg freezing process
When freezing your eggs, you’ll first take a medication that synchronises your monthly hormonal cycle. Next, you’ll receive daily injections of a hormone called gonadotropin to mature multiple eggs. You will also need to have a daily injection of a medication to stop you from ovulating too early, before all the eggs are mature. You will be monitored throughout your journey using a vaginal ultrasound scan.
Once your eggs appear to be ready, you’ll be given an injection to start the process of ovulation. Approximately 36 hours later, your eggs will be collected using a hollow needle attached to an ultrasound probe that’s gently inserted into your vagina.
Once collected, your eggs will be carefully frozen and stored until you are ready to use them as part of your fertility treatment, whenever you are ready. Take a look at our dedicated guide to learn more about egg freezing in the UK.
Embryo freezing
Undergoing a fertility treatment like in vitro fertilisation (IVF) creates embryos (fertilised eggs) outside of the womb. However, not all of these embryos can be safely transferred back into your womb at the same time. Therefore, since these embryos are still viable for use in further treatment, you can freeze them instead. This helps to minimise the risk of multiple pregnancies.
You can also freeze embryos for preservation purposes outside of fertility treatment. Embryos can be created and frozen without undergoing an embryo transfer, which is the next step to achieving a pregnancy. The embryos will remain safely in storage, ready to be thawed again whenever you need them. This process of transferring a thawed embryo back into your womb is known as a frozen embryo transfer (FET).
By freezing your embryos, you can decide when the right time is for you to have a baby.
Who is embryo freezing for?
This option is most suited to those wishing to preserve their fertility whose relationship status is unlikely to change. To create embryos, both eggs and sperm are required, and once the embryos have been created the genetic lineage cannot be changed. Single women and same sex couples are able to embark on embryo freezing using donor sperm.
Embryo freezing process
The initial stages of treatment are the same. Once your eggs have been collected, they will be mixed with sperm and incubated to allow them to fertilise. Some fertilised eggs will go on to create embryos. Some of these embryos will be good enough to freeze on day 5 of incubation. If you decide to freeze your embryos, they will be placed into a special solution that helps to draw water out from them. This protects the cells from damage caused by possible ice crystals during the freezing process. Once frozen, the embryos will be safely stored until you’re ready to use them.
Ovarian tissue freezing
Ovarian tissue freezing is where a part or all of your ovary is removed and the tissue containing the eggs is carefully cut away and frozen. This tissue can be thawed for use in the future by placing it back inside your body to stimulate ovarian activity.
While it is potentially possible to become pregnant again naturally, you will most likely need the support of a fertility specialist and fertility treatment.
Who is ovarian tissue freezing for?
Ovarian tissue freezing is usually reserved for those needing to preserve their fertility when undergoing cancer treatment, who are unable to freeze their eggs or embryos.
Fertility preservation for iatrogenic infertility
Iatrogenic infertility is the name given to becoming infertile as a result of a medical procedure or treatment that was used to treat another health problem (such as receiving cancer treatment, rheumatological treatments and treatment for endometriosis).
Certain treatments are more likely to affect your fertility than others and you may experience temporary or permanent fertility issues as a result. Surgery, chemotherapy and radiation related to cancer treatment can all impair your fertility and ovarian function.
You may wish to preserve your fertility before undergoing a treatment that could impact you in this way.
What is the best fertility preservation option for me?
Knowing which fertility preservation option is right for you can be challenging. However, at BCRM, our team is here to guide you through the process and ensure you receive the right option for your needs. We will also be able to provide you with sensible and realistic chances of success, so you can make an informed decision about your fertility options.
We take all of your personal circumstances into consideration, including why you want to preserve your fertility now, and will be available to guide you through every step of your fertility preservation journey.
Discover fertility preservation with the Bristol Centre for Reproductive Medicine
At BCRM, we offer egg freezing and embryo freezing as part of our fertility preservation services. We’re dedicated to helping women preserve their fertility so that they can decide when the time is right to start or continue their family.
In the UK, your embryos or eggs can be frozen and stored for up to 55 years. However, you will need to renew your consent to them being stored every 10 years. So, with this added time on your side, you can choose when you want to start or grow your family.
If you’d like to talk more about our range of fertility preservation options, contact us today. Our team will gladly discuss any questions or queries you have and book you in for the right appointment for your needs.