Egg freezing is increasing in popularity among young women of reproductive age. According to a report by the Society for Assisted Reproduction Technologies (SART), the egg freezing cycles carried out in the U.S increased by 25 percent from 2015 to 2016. Many women are unaware of the fact that their eggs do age. Unlike men, who continually produce new sperm, they are never going to have new eggs. A woman born with all the eggs they will have for their lifetime. So, women’s eggs also get older as they age.

Many modern-day women would like to have a “plan B” regarding motherhood. Because they go through their lives dealing with educational, career, and relationship challenges. They might have seen a lot of their older colleagues or relatives struggle with fertility issues and want to avoid them if possible. Thankfully, egg freezing offers women reproductive options that the generations before did not have.

Not long ago, there was an article in the New York Times newspaper, profiling some women in their twenties who had already put their future motherhood plans on hold via egg freezing. Although the majority who opt for it are in their mid-late thirties, that could change as egg freezing increases in popularity.

Prices are going down as more fertility clinics, some specializing in egg freezing, are offering this service. Plus, more employers now offer egg freezing as a benefit. Most, especially in very competitive fields such as high-tech companies, giving women a way to afford this service. If you have been thinking about going for this procedure, you might have been wondering, “What is the best age to preserve your fertility?” Well, before you arrive at a conclusion, there are many factors you need to consider.

Right Age for Egg freezing is the early 30s

As per the experts, the optimal time is in your 20s and early 30s. But some women in their 40s freeze their eggs. A woman below the age of 30 will require fewer eggs to have a live birth compared to a woman in her mid-late thirties or older. The reason is that the older a woman becomes, the older her eggs become too. Older women have a higher probability of their baby having chromosomal abnormalities.

You may need more than one egg retrieval for freezing

Age also plays a part here. Fewer cycles are required to retrieve the ideal number of eggs in younger women, hence reducing the total cost.

A young woman may never need to use her eggs

A lot of young women who decided to have their eggs frozen as an insurance policy later went on to have children with their partners naturally.

Ability to pay

Although the prices have come down, it is still a huge investment. While more and more companies are providing payment assistance, the procedure is not covered by insurance. Although there are some exceptional cases, such as when a woman is diagnosed with cancer. More U. S states have started making insurance coverage for fertility preservation compulsory, and that is good news.

Still, if you have an interest in utilizing this technology, you do need to consider if you can afford this process. Prices do tend to differ from one clinic to another – but you know that the larger investment means advance technology. Which leads to a higher success rate of the egg freezing. Freezing eggs cost include several expenses – this starts with medication that you will need to take for a few weeks before the retrieval of the egg.

The average cost of harvesting an egg is $10,000. You will pay an average amount of $500 each year to store the frozen egg at the facility. There is also an additional cost that comes with the fertilization of the egg, should you decide to use the egg in the future. The average cost for this process is $5,000.

The length of time

Since egg freezing is a new technology, there’re little data regarding how long female eggs can survive in freezing conditions without affecting their ability to form a healthy baby. The recommendation of most fertility specialists is that women should plan for storage of not more than ten years.

Technology might get better in the future

Egg freezing, as well as other assisted reproductive technologies, is constantly evolving towards improved processes and better success rates.

Don’t wait if you have a medical problem

Women who have been diagnosed with cancer or any other medical issue that could affect fertility, should carry out investigations. They should opt for egg freezing immediately if their doctor gives them the nod.

The ideal age to freeze eggs depends on you

The right timing will depend on several considerations. This includes your health and medical history, your ovarian reserve, and the results of your fertility tests. It also includes your ability to undergo and afford the egg retrieval cycles process. While a younger woman may have better quality eggs for cryoconservation. Also, she may not be able to pay for the treatment and may also never have the chance to use the eggs if she gets pregnant naturally.

In 2015, Fertility and Sterility published a study in the Journal of American Society for Reproductive Medicine. That study explained the best time for elective egg freezing. It confirms and warns that the age of a woman at the time of egg freezing plays a crucial role. “Women who vitrify oocytes over the age of 38 seem to have significantly lower success rates.”

The current evidence points directly that freezing your eggs at an earlier age does yield significantly better results. At the same time, however, if you are an older woman, this might still be something to consider. Even though the experts do not always recommend you to consider freezing eggs at 40 and call it ‘not sensible’ for the chances of getting pregnant after 40 naturally decreases. But we know women in their 40s freeze their eggs for a reason. There are cases where you might get an opportunity to have eggs retrieved and frozen at such an age point in your life.

If you are a modern-day woman considering this process, we recommend that you get all the information you need to make an informed decision regarding the ideal time to undergo this procedure. Our well-trained fertility doctors are ready to provide answers to any questions you may have. They can also help figure out the best timing to go for egg freezing.

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Conclusion

The process of freezing eggs has advanced and became significantly easier in the modern world. Many women are now choosing to preserve their fertility through this particular method, allowing them to focus on their careers and relationships during the earlier stages of their adulthood. Women considering this process are often not sure at what age the egg freezing should be done. Ultimately, this is a personal decision that lies with you – while the experts recommend having your eggs frozen at an early age for a better success rate. But older age should not stop you from considering this fertility preservation method.

You can visit our website to find useful information about Egg Freezing. You can also give us a call at 858-436-7186 to schedule a consultation with RSMC fertility clinic, California.

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