Egg freezing preserves your existing eggs and gives you the opportunity to get pregnant in the future. At Noble Fertility Center in New York City, fertility specialist Peter Chang, MD, freezes your eggs on the day of retrieval to give them the best chance of survival and viability. At a later time, Dr. Chang thaws the eggs and combines them with your partner’s sperm to create embryos that he then implants into your uterus via in vitro fertilization. Call the Murray Hill, Manhattan, office today to learn more about egg freezing or use the online tool to schedule your consultation.
Egg Freezing Q & A
How does egg freezing work?
A patient's cycle is closely monitored to determine the optimal time to start. Using special medications in doses customized to every specific patient, Dr. Chang stimulates the ovaries to produce the optimal number of eggs and encourages them to mature. Regular doctor's visits are required so that the progress of the egg development and maturation can be closely monitored.
Once the eggs begin to mature, Dr. Chang prepares for the final maturation process of the stimulation. When the eggs are mature, he carefully extracts them.
Dr. Chang performs the procedure under conscious sedation. He uses a sonogram for visual guidance and passes a needle through the vaginal wall and into the ovarian follicle to obtain the eggs.
Once Dr. Chang removes the eggs, he takes the necessary steps to freeze them.
How long can eggs be frozen?
With today's advancements in technology, eggs can be stored for several years and remain viable. Sperm frozen for over 30 years has successfully been used. Nine years is the longest time an egg has been frozen and then used to produce a live birth.
The existing technology has been in place for over 10 years, and doctors believe that there is no reason eggs should react any differently than sperm when undergoing the freezing process.
Unlike the past, when eggs were frozen slowly, they are now flash-frozen, which dramatically improves the success rate of most procedures.
This process, known as vitrification, preserves an egg’s viability. The eggs are frozen so quickly that the water molecules within them don’t have time to crystallize. The eggs solidify instantaneously into a glass-like structure.
Is egg freezing safe?
With state-of-the-art advancements in technology, freezing eggs is much safer than ever before. The egg retrieval procedure usually occurs under mild sedation and is safe. You may have some mild cramping immediately after egg retrieval, and you may have pressure and bloating continue for a few weeks due to swollen ovaries, but this is normal.
You can go back to your normal activities about a week after egg retrieval. Babies born via in vitro fertilization from frozen eggs are healthy and happy.
To learn more about egg freezing for a future pregnancy, call Noble Fertility Center, or use the online tool to schedule.
