What is 'Egg Freezing'? Why is it gaining traction among celebrities, working women?

Hyderabad: Women and their professional life are inseparable. While these two share an amazing bond, there comes family life that often leads to confusion. Becoming a mother is a dream for most women. It is a decision that only they can take for themselves and nobody else. This could be due to career pursuits, educational goals, health issues, personal circumstances, or even the absence of a suitable partner.

But remember, none of these reasons or conditions can stop them from working towards planning to become a mother.

Today, let's talk about 'Egg Freezing' which is not taboo anymore, but still a hush-hush topic in our country among women, their parents, partners, and doctors as well.

In recent times, the medical procedure that allows women to freeze and store their eggs is being promoted by many doctors. That is what is called 'Egg Freezing'. Freezing'.

Celebrities like Nayanthara, Priyanka Chopra, Upasana Konidela, Ekta Kapoor, Mona Singh, and many others also chose to freeze their eggs as they were busy with their career and did not want to become mothers back then.

What is 'Egg Freezing'?

This process is Social Egg Freezing and is also known as elective egg freezing or oocyte cryopreservation. While many think this is only for women who are not ready to have a child, what most of them don't know is that this process is primarily done to preserve a woman's fertility and increase her chances of having biological children later in life.

Dr. Hemalatha, Gynecologist, Apollo Hospitals, often comes across young women who consult her for egg-freezing. Talking about it, she said, “Thanks to celebrities who are openly talking about this process now. Egg-freezing is a medical procedure that I, as a doctor, keep suggesting to you and aspiring women who consult with me for pregnancy, but somewhere deep in their heart are not ready for it yet. To those women, who are unable to get pregnant naturally also, I ask them to first freeze their eggs and think of what to do and what not to. This is a procedure and an option that every woman, at a young age should come to know. And it is definitely the duty of their mothers and gynaecologists to tell them about it.

Why store your eggs?

Out of the many reasons, the first one to think of is to delay childbearing. Many women choose to freeze their eggs because they are not ready to have children at the present moment. The second is medical reasons. When their chances of having a child are naturally low, doctors suggest women store their eggs so that when pregnancy does not occur naturally, they can always opt for IVF treatment using the stored eggs.

Dr. Preethi Reddy, Consultant (Infertility), BirthRight Fertility by Rainbow Hospitals, explains why women can always think of freezing their eggs.

"The main purpose of social egg freezing is to provide women with the option to preserve their fertility for various reasons. Before the age of 30, the number of eggs will always be high when compared to after 30. In the late 30s, there will be very less chances to get pregnant. Though starting a family in their 20s is always a good idea, it is not possible for everyone. This could be due to career pursuits, educational goals, personal circumstances, or the absence of a suitable partner. So freezing their eggs is a good option keeping the potential of their ovaries and uncertainty in mind," Dr. Reddy says.

By freezing their eggs at a younger age when the eggs are healthier, they increase their chances of conceiving using their eggs later on, she adds.

Are women open to it?

There are chances that women might be judged for choosing their careers over their personal life. Keeping this in mind, when asked about how many women are open to freezing their eggs and how many know that there is such an option, Dr. Preethi points out that nobody has the right to judge a woman based on the decisions they take for themselves.

“Coming to the question, the process of freezing the eggs has been around for a decade now and many have used this facility. I see many mothers coming with their children during this process. I have seen families who have encouraged their daughters to freeze their eggs. It is good to see the change that is being accepted," says Dr. Preethi Reddy.

How safe is it?

Egg-freezing techniques have improved significantly over the years, resulting in higher success rates and lower risks. The process involves stimulating the ovaries with hormones to produce multiple mature eggs, which are then retrieved and frozen for future use. The freezing and thawing methods have been refined, reducing the risk of damage to the eggs.

Is it financially affordable?

Social egg freezing is not so expensive that only rich people can afford it. The process and the minimum charges for freezing these eggs are quite affordable. The slow freeze method involves slowly freezing the eggs with the help of a cryoprotectant solution. It is the most widely used method and is relatively inexpensive.

The cost of this procedure can range from Rs 50,000 to 1 lakh. The vitrification method involves ultra-rapid freezing of eggs with the help of a vitrification solution. It is a newer method and is known for its higher success rates. The cost of this procedure can range from Rs 1 lakh to 2.5 lakh.

Before taking any decisions about storing your eggs, always consult with an IVF expert for the right advice that suits your physical, emotional, and financial condition.