Are you a woman who wants to have a baby in the future but not ready or able to do so right now? Do you have a medical condition or treatment that may affect your fertility or egg quality? Do you want to preserve your fertility and extend your reproductive window? If yes, then you may benefit from fertility preservation or oocyte freezing.

Fertility preservation or oocyte freezing is a service that involves freezing and storing your unfertilized eggs for future use. This can help you protect your fertility and increase your chances of having a biological child when you are ready.

Some of the reasons why you may choose fertility preservation or oocyte freezing are:

• You have a personal or professional reason to delay childbearing, such as education, career, or relationship.
• You have a medical condition or treatment that may damage your ovaries or reduce your egg supply, such as cancer, endometriosis, or chemotherapy.
• You have a family history of early menopause or ovarian failure, which means that your ovaries stop functioning before the age of 40.
• You want to avoid the risks and costs of using donor eggs or surrogacy to conceive a child in the future.

What to expect from fertility preservation or oocyte freezing?

Fertility preservation or oocyte freezing is a voluntary and confidential service that usually involves one or more cycles of treatment. A cycle consists of several steps:

• Ovarian stimulation and egg retrieval: This involves taking medication to stimulate the ovaries to produce multiple eggs and monitoring the egg development with ultrasound and blood tests. The medication may be oral (such as clomiphene citrate) or injectable (such as gonadotropins). The egg retrieval is done under sedation or anesthesia by inserting a needle through the vagina into the ovaries and aspirating the eggs.
• Egg freezing and storage: This involves cooling the eggs rapidly in liquid nitrogen (called vitrification) to prevent ice crystals from forming and damaging the eggs. The frozen eggs are then stored in a secure facility until you decide to use them.
• Egg thawing and fertilization: This involves warming the frozen eggs and fertilizing them with sperm from your partner or a donor in a laboratory. The fertilization can be done by placing the sperm and eggs together in a dish (called conventional IVF) or by injecting a single sperm into each egg (called ICSI).
• Embryo transfer: This involves transferring one or more embryos to the uterus using a thin, flexible tube (called a catheter) through the cervix. The remaining embryos can be frozen for future use if desired.
• Pregnancy test: This involves taking a blood test about two weeks after the embryo transfer to check for the presence of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), which is a hormone produced by the placenta after implantation. A positive test indicates pregnancy.

Fertility preservation or oocyte freezing has many benefits over natural conception or other fertility treatments, such as:

• Preserving your fertility and extending your reproductive window
• Maintaining your egg quality and quantity
• Reducing the risk of genetic abnormalities or diseases in your child
• Giving you more control and flexibility over your reproductive choices
• Lowering the cost and complexity compared to other assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs), such as IVF

Fertility preservation or oocyte freezing also has some limitations and risks, such as:

• Not guaranteeing pregnancy or live birth, as many factors may affect the outcome
• Having a high cost and complexity compared to natural conception
• Having a possibility of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) due to the ovarian stimulation medication
• Having a slight chance of infection or bleeding due to the egg retrieval
• Having a potential for ethical, legal, or emotional issues related to egg freezing, storage, or donation

Therefore, it is important to consult with your doctor before undergoing fertility preservation or oocyte freezing and to follow their instructions and recommendations throughout the treatment.

At Acme Hospital, we offer fertility preservation or oocyte freezing as one of our services to help you achieve your parenthood goals. We have a team of highly qualified and experienced doctors, embryologists, nurses, and counsellors who will guide you through every step of your fertility journey. We have state-of-the-art facilities and equipment that ensure the highest standards of safety and quality. We have a patient-centric approach that respects your privacy, preferences, and values.

If you are interested in fertility preservation or oocyte freezing, please contact us today to book an appointment. We will conduct a thorough evaluation of your medical history