Women are born with a finite number of eggs, most of which have already
died by the time puberty starts. Female fertility peaks at age 27 years
and then gradually declines thereafter. After the age of 35, egg reserve
declines rapidly and conception becomes increasingly more difficult. Not
only do women encounter decreasing egg reserve as they age, but they also
experience significant declines in egg quality. Thus, even if a significant
number of eggs remain in a woman who is in her late 30s, the majority
of those will be abnormal and unable to produce a healthy child.
Many women are not ready to start a family during their peak fertility
years but know they may want to have a family in the future. One option
is to freeze eggs during the more favorable reproductive ages and use
those eggs later, if needed. This option helps counteract the effect of
aging on egg quantity and quality.
Who Should Consider Freezing Eggs?
Freezing eggs could be valuable for women in their early 30s who do not
want to have a child right now, but may want to explore the possibility
in a few years. Additionally, women with medical conditions which put
them at risk for running out of eggs earlier than usual can also benefit
from freezing eggs.
This includes patients with:
Cancer requiring removal of the ovaries or treatment with chemotherapy
Ovarian tumors
Severe endometriosis
Recurrent ovarian cysts
A family history of premature ovarian insufficiency or Fragile X
Transgender patients transitioning female to male
When Should I Consider Freezing Eggs?
Egg freezing works best before a woman turns 35. This is because the majority
of eggs are still of good quality. The later in life egg freezing is performed,
the greater the number of eggs that will need to be frozen in order to
counteract the effect of diminishing egg quality.
How Do I Go About Freezing My Eggs?
Egg freezing typically requires 2- 4 weeks following an initial evaluation
with a fertility specialist. During this time, the patient's ovaries are
stimulated with hormone shots in order to grow many eggs at one time.
These eggs are then 'retrieved' while the patient is under light anesthesia.
The eggs are evaluated under the microscope at the time of the egg retrieval
and the mature eggs are vitrified and stored.
Statistics for Egg Freezing in Atlanta at ACRM
Egg freezing, also known as vitrification, has a 98% success rate for preserving
the egg. Cycles using thawed eggs from egg donors result in an 85% survival
rate, a 75% fertilization rate, and a 60% implantation rate. For women
35 years of age or younger, recent studies suggest that freezing 7-8 eggs
gives a 60% chance for a baby later on, and 20 eggs gives a 90% chance.
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