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UAE: Despite Dh15,000 cost, women freeze eggs to achieve life goals before motherhood

Working women in highly competitive professions and those undergoing chemotherapy or radiation therapies make up majority of those opting to freeze their eggs

Published: Mon 7 Oct 2024, 10:48 PM

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File Photo. Image used for illustrative purpose

File Photo. Image used for illustrative purpose

Clinics and medical facilities in the UAE are seeing an increasing number of women opting for egg freezing. With many choosing to start families late, this option has allowed them to be more flexible about their life plans without fear of being unable to conceive.

Jules McDonald, Director of Clinical Operations for HealthPlus Fertility has helped over 20,000 women with the procedure during her 15 years of service in the industry. She said it was a great “backup plan” for many women and that it was up to doctors to have this conversation.

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“We're seeing a huge uptick in the number of local population who are asking about egg freezing and enquiring about the details,” she said. “It is not something that is spoken about enough in society. So part of the drive within our facility is that when women see their doctors for whatever concerns they have, the medical professionals should bring egg freezing up, ask them if they have thought about it, and plant the seed in their minds.

Jules McDonald. Photo: Supplied

Jules McDonald. Photo: Supplied

"During my career, I have met so many women who have said they wish they had frozen their eggs earlier. Once women hit 35 years, the egg quality dramatically declines.”

Egg freezing is the process of extracting, freezing, and storing a woman's eggs or oocytes so she can get pregnant at a later stage in life. A woman's age has a significant impact on the quality of eggs and her ability to have children. Last month, a local company introduced a mobile van that stopped at various locations around the country to give out free testing kits to those interested in egg freezing. The initiative received an overwhelming response with hundreds of women turning up to take the test.

Popularity and procedure

Many of those who are interested in the procedure are in their 30s, as per one expert. “Working women over 35 years of age, particularly those who belong to higher economic status and are engaged in very competitive or demanding professions, such as professional sportswomen, actors or executives, are more likely to opt for the procedure,” said Dr Nayana Gaba, Specialist Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Aster Clinic, Al Muteena. “This is because they simply chose to prioritise profession over motherhood and childcare at that time. Even unmarried women undergo the procedure.”

Dr Nayana Gaba. Photo: Supplied

Dr Nayana Gaba. Photo: Supplied

She said patients who have to undergo chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or surgery for cancer treatment also opt for this procedure as such treatments can render them infertile.

Dr Aarti Javeri-Mehta, Internal Medicine Specialist and Lifestyle Medicine Physician at Sustain Health explained the best time to freeze eggs. “Research shows that the best time is typically between the ages of 25 and 35 to achieve optimal quality eggs,” she said. “But like with any health decision, it's crucial to weigh the risks and benefits based on your unique medical history and circumstances.

Dr Aarti Javeri-Mehta. Photo: Supplied

Dr Aarti Javeri-Mehta. Photo: Supplied

Dr Nayana explained how the procedure was done. “The first step is called ovarian stimulation in which hormone injections or, less commonly, tablets are administered for around a week to ten days,” she said. “This leads to the development of mature eggs. The next stage is egg retrieval. The eggs are frozen in special facilities for future use for in-vitro fertilisation.”

No pressure of the ‘biological clock’

According to Dr Aarti, part of the increased interest can be attributed to the change in UAE’s legal system.

“One major factor is the change in the UAE’s IVF laws that came into effect in 2020,” she said. “Now, fertility clinics can freeze human embryos, unfertilized eggs, and sperm, giving women more flexibility to preserve their fertility without feeling the pressure of the ticking ‘biological clock’. There’s also been a shift in how women think about fertility and family planning. With more awareness and education around fertility, women who want to focus on their careers or personal goals before starting a family are more open to egg freezing. The stigma around having children later in life is also fading."

Legal reforms in the UAE in 2021 permitted freezing of human embryos and eggs for up to five years - extendable with the consent of relevant parties.

She also noted that an increasing number of employers were supporting women in their decisions. “More companies are offering benefits for fertility preservation, making women feel even more empowered in their decision to freeze their eggs,” she said.

Dr. Nayana said that social media also had a role to play. “Many influencers and even doctors themselves are providing educational content about egg freezing,” she said. “The engagement rises when a celebrity undergoes such procedures. For example, several renowned women like Kristen Stewart, Priyanka Chopra, and Emma Roberts have done it and spoken about it, increasing people’s awareness.”

Challenges

However, the medical professionals admitted that there were several challenges that women faced while making this decision, the primary of which was cost.

“The average cost of the procedure of one cycle of egg freezing is about Dh15,000,” said Jules. “The amount of cycles of the treatment women will need to get enough eggs varies from woman to woman. Additionally, they have to pay extra every year for the storage. So it is a lot of money. Most insurance companies do not cover it but I believe that 100 percent it is something they should. This is something that would be beneficial for the population.”

Dr Aarti said the hormonal impacts of the procedure were also significant. “Hormonal stimulation may cause side effects like bloating, mood swings, and headaches, making the process physically demanding. Emotionally, the uncertainty around the outcome can lead to stress and anxiety, as there are no guarantees. Long-term storage of the eggs adds another layer of complexity, especially when considering legal and logistical factors. Women need to be financially prepared and have a strong support system in place, whether it's family or friends, to help navigate the emotional and physical demands of the process.

Jules said that despite all the challenges, she enjoys working in the field. “For me, the most memorable incident is the very first patient I had in a clinic in London,” she recalled. “Fifteen years after she froze her eggs, she came to retrieve them and then went on to have a beautiful, healthy baby. I will never forget the feeling of holding that baby in my arms.”

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