More women opting for Egg Freezing over conventional pregnancy
Published: Wed 4 Sep 2019, 3:35 PM
Last updated: Wed 4 Sep 2019, 5:58 PM
Egg Freezing can have several outcomes depending on the case, but can definitely provide the preferred results if appropriate medical intervention is sought at the right time. With increasing number of women looking for alternatives to delay motherhood, egg freezing has increasingly become popular today. The procedure allows women to retrieve and freeze a good number of healthy eggs that can be utilised whenever they consider getting pregnant. Several social and medical factors are the underlying causes why women choose to preserve their fertility and step into parenthood later in their lives. For instance, cancer patients, in particular, are highly recommended to freeze their eggs before undergoing radiotheraphy and chemotherapy to increase their chances of fertility in the future. During chemotherapy, all of a women's egg cells are at the risk of being damaged due to the intensity of medication. If the DNA of the eggs are damaged, fertilization will not be possible, thus increasing the probability of miscarriage or birth defects. On the other hand, radiation can damage all of a woman's egg cells, due to scarring in the uterus, thus affecting the probability of freezing the eggs. Women who need to have their ovaries removed especially because they are carriers of genetic markers for cancer, are advised to freeze their eggs in order to reduce the risk of developing breast cancer. Women projecting a history of premature menopause, employed in high-risk occupations, or prioritising their respective careers are also advised to take the route of Egg Freezing. "Women today are independent, steadfast and occupy crucial positions at their workplace. Having said that, it is completely understandable if they choose to delay starting their family, as it is a role that requires commitment. Hence, we guide these individuals to consider the option of Egg Freezing, that stills the ageing process of the eggs preserving their quality and thus improves a woman's fertility chances at a later stage of her life," said Dr Micheal Fakih, Medical Director of Fakih IVF. He added, "Egg Freezing can also be an emotionally exhausting process, with women having to confront several unpleasant opinions regarding their choice of having their family. Hence families having apprehensions regarding the procedure need to be informed that the procedure is entirely safe and it is completely normal to opt for it." Highly recommended by doctors especially for women aged 35 and above, the procedure involves harvesting eggs from the ovaries and freezing them in their unfertilized form and storing for later use. Frozen eggs can then be thawed and fertilized in the lab and implanted in the uterus - the process also known as in vitro fertilization. Egg Freezing is among the few medical procedures where women do not usually experience side effects. Among those that do experience so, the impact is relatively short-lived and are a result of hormonal fluctuations caused by the medications administered during the procedure. Women are known to typically complain of a headache, hot or cold flashes, bloating, tenderness of the breasts or sleeplessness.