Freezing Eggs: Procedure, Benefits and Cost in India

Egg freezing is one of the modern-day inventions that has empowered women and made their lives easier. These days, women are moving ahead in their careers and want to plan a family at a time that is suitable for them. Thanks to the egg-freezing process, it is possible to preserve eggs to be fertilised later. Now, women don’t have to choose. Instead, they get the best of both worlds. Egg freezing is gradually becoming a viable option for women in India. Regarding egg freezing in Delhi, Gaudium is a leading IVF centre that provides high-grade services. Let us see what it is in depth.

What is egg freezing?

Egg freezing is another name for oocyte cryopreservation. It refers to preserving eggs through medical procedures to be fertilised later. Practitioners resort to medication to stimulate the eggs and then freeze them. The eggs can be fertilised with sperm outside the body through Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI) and then implanted in the uterus for the remainder of pregnancy.  The quality of eggs is best when harvested at a young age; it improves the chances of fertilisation. The entire process can typically take 2-3 weeks, and continuous ultrasonographic monitoring helps oversee the progress.

Frozen eggs can be stored for years before being used. In the long term, it is a cost-effective process that has opened many avenues for women. 

What is the egg-freezing process?

Egg freezing is a complicated process. Here are the steps involved in freezing eggs:

• Initial screening: The initial medical exam assesses the woman’s overall health. A medical history is also taken to understand her ovarian health. Doctors perform ultrasound scans to gauge the quality of the remaining eggs in the ovary. They also educate patients regarding the stimulation and medication used to obtain the best-quality eggs.

• Stimulating and monitoring the ovaries: Hormonal injections of follicle-stimulating and luteinizing hormones stimulate the ovaries to produce multiple eggs during a menstrual cycle. These are provided for approximately 10-12 days with continuous monitoring through scans and blood tests. Your clinician may suggest avoiding intense workouts during this time. After this, a trigger shot is given to further the process.

• Egg Retrieval Procedure: During this stage, transvaginal ultrasonographic guidance is performed using a needle to obtain the mature eggs. The patient is anaesthetized throughout the procedure, making it painless.

• Egg Freezing: After retrieval, the eggs are taken for cryopreservation through vitrification, which helps preserve them over a long period. The woman might experience some side effects like bloating, bleeding, constipation, tender breasts, and cramps. Although women may experience these side effects, expert health consultants work simultaneously to minimize them. 

Preparing for the Egg-freezing procedure

Numerous guidelines can be followed before undergoing the egg-freezing procedure. Egg retrieval involves hormonal treatment and a surgical procedure, which can be a bit uncomfortable. One might feel uneasy for a few days before returning to normalcy. Doctors recommend no strenuous activity like exercise or intercourse. Limiting caffeine and alcohol intake can help keep hormone fluctuations at bay. These few simple steps can ease the journey.

What are the advantages of freezing eggs?

The advantages of egg freezing can be surmised as follows:

• The technology behind egg freezing has made women’s lives easier. They can now pursue their career goals without worrying about declining fertility with age. Freezing eggs at a young age preserves fertility, and women can freely carry on with other priorities.

• Women can now take agency of their reproductive future. They can be free from tension about other pursuits. It gives women a say in the family planning process. In case of any medical abnormality, they can rest free about their reproductive health being affected by any treatment plan. This is especially true for cancer treatment, which involves chemotherapy and radiation.

• A fetus that develops from frozen eggs is like any other and shows no freezing-specific complications. If cautious, one can try preimplantation genetic testing to identify any potential chromosomal abnormality.

What are the disadvantages of freezing eggs?

• Although there is no 100% success rate, with advanced procedures and technology found in leading IVF centres such as Gaudium, experts can achieve a high rate of around 85%. Gaudium provides specialised care to every patient.

• Some complications, risks, or side effects may occur due to the egg-freezing procedure. Hormonal stimulation and egg retrieval surgery can lead to pain and discomfort. However, doctors at Gaudium can help mitigate these.

• The cost of egg freezing might be a hurdle for some families. The costs may not be affordable for everyone, so the dream of parenthood may not be fulfilled. Gaudium provides easy loan options to support families in their journey of parenthood.

What are some myths about egg freezing?

Egg freezing is a modern procedure, but certain myths have developed around the same due to a lack of awareness among the masses. We bust some of the myths below.

• Egg freezing is appropriate for older women and anyone who wants to plan pregnancy. Even younger women can freeze eggs while fertility is high to pursue education or make a career. Egg freezing has made family planning more manageable.

• Guaranteed pregnancy: Egg freezing does not ensure pregnancy. Success rates differ across individual cases, egg quality, and medical expertise.

• Unsafe and experimental: Egg freezing is a safe, research-backed procedure professionals conduct worldwide.

• Delayed natural conception: Freezing eggs at a young age does not reduce natural fertility. If the woman wants, she can conceive naturally as well.

• Painful and severe side effects: The patient is under anaesthesia during the procedure, so there is no pain. Some mild discomfort can be experienced due to surgery and hormonal medication, which usually passes in a few days.

• Frozen eggs are of poor quality: It is a common myth that frozen eggs are low in quality. However, this is far from true. Frozen eggs are preserved with intact fertility and are no different from natural eggs. Freezing eggs is a reliable option for women and families.

• Egg freezing is highly expensive, ranging from INR 50,000 to 70,000. Many fertility clinics provide credit and EMI options to make life easier for those considering freezing their eggs.

• Egg freezing is time-consuming. Hormone injections are noninvasive and done through needles. They are not painful but relatively easy to do. The procedure lasts 10-12 days. The surgery is also not painful, given that anaesthesia is administered to the patient. The entire process lasts for approximately two weeks.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Are there any complications related to egg freezing?

Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome is a condition wherein the hormone levels reach a high level due to injections and medications. It can result in mood swings and can lead to bigger size of ovaries. As a result, the fluid from the ovaries can leak into the abdomen and cause electrolyte malfunctions.

 Q. Who should consider freezing eggs?

Women who are eager to pursue a career and want to delay pregnancy for a later time can choose egg freezing. It removes the hurdle of declining fertility with age, as women can freeze eggs at a younger age when egg fertility is high. Women who are dealing with conditions like cancer, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome or endometriosis can consider freezing their eggs.

 Q. Is egg freezing a painful procedure?

The procedure is performed on a patient who is given anaesthesia. The patient might experience mild pain and discomfort lasting only a few days post-surgery.

Q. What is the age limit for egg freezing?

There is no specific age by which women should freeze their eggs. Fertility differs across cases and is examined by specialists through medical examination. As women age, the fertility of their eggs starts declining. Based on the results, freezing is suggested. Usually, it is advised that eggs should be frozen before the age of 35 to get fertile eggs so that the patient sees positive results. 

Conclusion

Egg freezing is a very efficient method for planning a family at a time that suits you. It is highly effective and recommended for women seeking educational or career goals. However, it can be demanding in terms of finances and time. Women may experience some discomfort and side effects due to hormonal treatments. Additionally, stress and emotional burden can be hard to navigate.

Disclaimer: The purpose of this blog post is to provide information only. Sources for this post include websites, patient feedback, and web articles. It is in no way a substitute for expert opinion. Readers are advised to conduct thorough personal research before deciding about egg freezing.

Take Control of Your Fertility with India’s Leading Egg Freezing Process at Gaudium IVF Centre! Connect with Dr. Manika Khanna today. Call +91 8527858585.