Female Cryopreservation

Female Cryopreservation is the process of freezing and storing egg (oocyte), ovarian tissue, etc. for future use.

Egg freezing is also known as oocyte cryopreservation. In this process, the woman's eggs (oocytes) are extracted, frozen, and stored to preserve reproduction potential in women of reproductive age.

Egg freezing is recommended in women who
•    Undergo treatment that would affect their fertility, such as radiation or chemotherapy
•    Have a condition or circumstances that can affect fertility, such as sickle cell anemia, autoimmune diseases or endometriosis.
•    Go through IVF
•    Wish to preserve eggs (for social reasons) for getting pregnant at a later stage when ready
 

Nowadays women or couples tend to postpone their wish to start a family for some years due to lifestyle changes. However, the chances of getting pregnant and a healthy baby decline with the increased age of the woman. Some women wish to preserve eggs to get pregnant in their late thirties or early forties. Due to advantages of the reproductive medicine, various different options are available for both men and women to preserve their fertility for the time.
After the age of 35 years, women’s fertility declines and the quality of the eggs drops. Medical treatment and a healthy lifestyle cannot avoid this process. Therefore, eggs should be frozen to achieve a good chance for later pregnancy, before this natural process starts.
 

Egg freezing has multiple steps including ovarian stimulation, egg retrieval and freezing.
•    Ovarian stimulation is the first step to produce multiple eggs. 
•    These eggs are later retrieved out of the woman's body by a vaginal procedure known as egg retrieval or ovum pick up.
•    Finally, the retrieved eggs are frozen by a process known as vitrification. This process helps to preserve the eggs in a stable condition for future use.
Approximately 10 to 15 unfertilized eggs should be frozen to give a good chance for a later pregnancy.
 

Ovarian Tissue Cryopreservation refers to a process of freezing ovarian tissue for future use. This technique helps to preserve fertility in women. Ovarian tissue is removed from the ovary by a laparoscopic procedure and then frozen.