Putting Off Conception For Another Day

Nowadays, more women are waiting until later to start a family. Factors such as wanting to pursue a career or simply having the freedom to make choices as an individual are all valid reasons. However, for people who know starting a family is a future goal, fertility preservation is a conversation that needs to be had. For women, having eggs frozen is one of the core ways to preserve egg quality while simultaneously delaying conception. However, eggs aren’t a cure-all against fertility risks, and individuals should understand the fertility preservation process fully.

Age matters

Egg harvesting can essentially preserve a woman's fertility. However, the age at which a person undergoes egg retrieval will impact egg quality. Assuming no known underlying conditions exist, experts note that the best age for a candidate is between a person's 20s through early 30s. During this life stage ovarian reserve and egg viability is higher. After 35 egg quality drops off sharply. In short, delaying egg retrieval until a person is older may mean that the sample preserved may contain less viable eggs.

Know the timeline

Many women underestimate the total time commitment required to successfully complete egg retrieval. From start to finish, don't be surprised that the entire process takes a couple of weeks. During that time, participants will be required to complete multiple tests and will also be checked for ovarian health or underlying diseases. Some people may find through this experience that the eggs intended for harvesting may not be good candidates because of anything from medical to genetic disorders.

Prepare for side effects

Having eggs harvested almost always requires undergoing hormone supplementation to boost the number of eggs released by the ovaries. The process is done to increase the available eggs and improve conception odds whether for in vitro fertilization (IVF) or intrauterine insemination (IUI). While normal, the process can be an emotional one resulting in mood swings as well as physical side effects from the actual retrieval process. Cramping and discomfort are incredibly common and may require taking some time off afterward for recovery.

Pregnancy may not happen

Freezing eggs is often touted as a surefire way to protect fertility and give women more time. The reality may be far different. Specifically, research has shown that even just a single frozen egg results in a live birth only 2 to 12 percent of the time. Success rates may still be low even with multiple eggs. In a study conducted in May 2013, a 30-year-old woman who thawed two to six eggs had only a 9 to 24 percent chance of achieving a live birth. Other influencing factors like sperm quality and the age when a woman begins fertility treatments will influence results.

Choosing egg freezing

For women and couples who want to use the female partner's eggs for conception, egg freezing can be a way to ensure that the woman's DNA is passed down to a future child. However, not all people will be good candidates for the procedure. Thankfully, other solutions, such as IVF with fresh eggs from a donor or even IUI, can be used to boost conception odds.