Oocyte cryopreservation Meaning: Harvesting a woman’s eggs
Many Celebrities like Priyanka Chopra, Ekta Kapoor, Mona Singh, and Nayanthara are some who decided to freeze their eggs. It is an emerging field that helps to postpone childbearing if anyone needs it. As we know a healthy age to get pregnant is between 25 to 35 years because Female fertility declines with age and the quality of eggs also decreases with time.
So, Oocyte Cryopreservation maintains reproductive health for women who need medical treatment or with career goals or we say their personal choice. If we talk about personal choice, it is also related to the lack of suitable partners also Empowerment and control of the choice to any woman to control their reproductive choices in when they are free to make decisions about their fertility on their own time.
In the Oocyte cryopreservation process initially with hormonal medications multiple eggs are stimulated in the ovaries. When the egg is mature it is retrieved from the ovaries. Then the eggs are frozen by using the process of vitrification by rapidly cooling eggs to -196 degree Celsius.
The freezing of eggs is becoming popular nowadays but there are no guarantees of success it depends on the age of the women, the quality of the eggs, and the process of retrieving the eggs.
Who can opt for Oocyte cryopreservation
This advanced procedure allows a range of scenarios where it becomes a crucial option.
- Cancer Patients Undergoing Treatment:
- Women diagnosed with cancer, especially those requiring chemotherapy or pelvic radiation therapy, face potential fertility impairment.
- Surgical Interventions Impacting Ovaries:
- Surgeries involving the pelvic region or reproductive organs may cause damage to the ovaries.
- Premature Ovarian Failure Risks:
- Conditions such as Turner syndrome, fragile X syndrome, or a family history of early menopause increase the risk of premature ovarian failure.
- Ovarian Diseases and Potential Damage:
- Certain ovarian diseases carry the threat of damage to the ovaries, impacting future fertility.
- Genetic Mutations Necessitating Ovary Removal:
- Women with genetic mutations, such as the BRCA mutation, which may need the removal of ovaries to mitigate cancer risks, can opt for egg freezing.
- Social or Personal Fertility Preservation:
- Increasingly, women are opting to freeze their eggs for social or personal reasons, allowing them to delay childbearing while securing the quality of their eggs.
oocyte cryopreservation cost in india
It’s not everyone a cup of tea to freeze eggs as the huge investment is required so, it’s not within reach for everyone now. The cost involved in the initial procedure medicine used and lastly the storage of the eggs. As it is a complex process Oocyte Cryopreservation is a debatable topic regarding the misuse of the technology. The approximate cost of freezing eggs is 1 lakh to 2 lakh yearly in India. These egg banks have to take care of eggs and monitor the frozen eggs.
As we know human eggs are complex and require advanced technology for egg freezing but this topic is debatable in the context of reproductive medicine.
oocyte cryopreservation Success Rates:
Understanding the success rates of egg freezing is an complicated process due to the novelty of this technology. Clinical pregnancy rates are estimated to be around 4-12% range per oocyte. It’s crucial to acknowledge that these rates may evolve as more comprehensive data accrues over time.
The Role of Age and Egg Quantity: Cornerstones of Success
- Woman’s Age:
- The age of the woman at the time of egg freezing is an important determinant of success.
- Generally, younger women have higher success rates, reflecting the inherent vitality and quality of eggs at a younger age.
- Number of Available Eggs:
- The quantity of eggs preserved plays an important role in predicting the chances of a live birth.
- A higher number of frozen eggs increases the chances of success, providing more opportunities for successful fertilization and implantation.