1. For female patients whose fertility may become compromised following cancer treatment.
2. For patients with other medical issues such as spinal cord injuries, exposure to toxic waste and/or chemicals, and any other conditions that may lead to compromised fertility or to the removal of the ovaries
3. For social reasons, i.e. for women who wish to delay motherhood and do not have a male partner or have a demanding modern lifestyle or are age related.

What are the main reasons to opt for oocyte cryopreservation?

1. For female patients whose fertility may become compromised following cancer treatment.
2. For patients with other medical issues such as spinal cord injuries, exposure to toxic waste and/or chemicals, and any other conditions that may lead to compromised fertility or to the removal of the ovaries
3. For social reasons, i.e. for women who wish to delay motherhood and do not have a male partner or have a demanding modern lifestyle or are age related.

Social egg freezing, also known as elective egg freezing or non-medical egg freezing, is a fertility preservation technique where women choose to freeze their eggs for personal, lifestyle, or social reasons, rather than for immediate medical concerns.

Oocyte cryopreservation allows women to store their oocytes, at a healthy young age. If infertility occurs later in life, because of the age related decline, or for other medical reasons, the frozen oocytes can be used to improve the chances of pregnancy.

Success rates can vary, and factors such as the quality of the sperm used for fertilization, the chosen method of assisted reproductive technology (ART) for using the eggs (e.g., in vitro fertilization), and the woman’s overall health during the pregnancy attempt also contribute to the likelihood of success.

Oocyte Cryopreservation Process

An Egg Freezing cycle typically lasts about 2 to 3 weeks from the start of ovarian stimulation and includes the following steps:

• Controlled Ovarian Stimulation (COS)
• Egg Retrieval
• Laboratory Egg Freezing

Controlled Ovarian Stimulation

Most of the assisted reproductive procedures begin by Controlled Ovarian Stimulation (COS). The female is given fertility medications on a daily basis for average of 8-12 days to stimulate the ovaries to produce multiple eggs rather than the usual single egg that develops during a natural cycle. During the administration of the medications, the female is followed up in the clinic by serial ultrasounds and sometimes blood tests to track the development of follicles (fluid-filled sacs where eggs mature).

Once the eggs have reached an optimal size and maturity, a trigger shot is administered to induce the final maturation of the eggs.

Egg Retrieval

Approximately 35-37 hours after the trigger shot, the egg retrieval procedure takes place. This is a minor surgical procedure called transvaginal oocyte retrieval (TVOR) or follicular aspiration or egg pickup, usually performed under sedation or light anesthesia.

During TVOR, a thin needle under ultrasound guidance is inserted through the vaginal wall and into each ovarian follicle to aspirate the fluid containing the egg.

After the egg retrieval procedure, the woman is kept in the IVF center for a brief recovery period around 1-2 hours where she rests and is monitored. She is discharged home when she is fully awake from anesthesia and can resume her daily activities the next day.

Laboratory Egg Freezing

The retrieved eggs are then assesed for maturity and quality. Not all eggs may be suitable for freezing, so a thorough evaluation is conducted. The selected mature and viable eggs undergo cryopreservation, typically using a rapid freezing technique called vitrification. Vitrification minimizes ice crystal formation, preserving the integrity of the eggs. The frozen eggs are stored in cryogenic containers filled with liquid nitrogen at -196 ͦC, maintaining extremely low temperatures. This allows for long-term storage without a significant decline in egg quality.