Egg freezing procedure enables a woman to preserve the chance of becoming a mother at ideal ages for various reasons she could not achieve in the past.
Egg freezing treatment involves storing eggs to be used in the future for in vitro fertilization (IVF) to achieve pregnancy in women who need to postpone pregnancy for social or medical reasons. Patients undergoing treatments that may cause a decrease in egg cell count, such as chemotherapy or radiotherapy, those who will undergo surgery on their ovaries, and therefore are at risk of early menopause, as well as those with a family history of early menopause, are eligible for this procedure.
Egg freezing allows a woman to preserve the chance of becoming a mother at ideal ages for various reasons she could not achieve in the past. Women who are planned to undergo treatments that may leave permanent damage to their germ cells due to blood diseases, cancer, or different diagnoses, those with chocolate cysts and planned for surgery, those aware of a family history of early menopause, those with low Anti-Mullerian Hormone (AMH) levels, or those with decreased ovarian reserve detected in routine ultrasound examinations, should consider egg freezing treatment below the age of 35 if possible to continue the chance of having children in the future.
Preparation for this treatment is similar to in vitro fertilization treatments. The treatment usually starts on the 2nd or 3rd day of the menstrual cycle. However, in patients especially planned for chemotherapy or emergency surgery, treatment can start on any day of the menstrual cycle without affecting the outcome negatively. If conditions are suitable, the growth of target ovarian follicles begins with daily hormone injections administered subcutaneously. During this treatment, examinations are performed at appropriate intervals with ultrasound. When the follicle reaches the appropriate size, a triggering injection called a trigger shot is administered subcutaneously, and 34-36 hours after this control, egg retrieval is performed under anesthesia.
The egg retrieval procedure is performed under anesthesia in IVF laboratories, accompanied by vaginal ultrasound. Subsequently, the retrieved eggs are evaluated by embryologists, frozen with special techniques, and stored.
Frozen eggs can offer a very significant chance in the future for women who want to become mothers but have lost the chance of pregnancy naturally. There is a chance of legal storage for up to 5 years. However, after 5 years, the duration can be extended by submitting a petition. When a child is desired, the eggs are thawed, and an intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) procedure is performed with male sperm, and high-quality embryos are transferred to the woman's uterus after appropriate preparation. These treatments offer IVF pregnancy rates to a woman at the age she froze her eggs.
Egg freezing procedure is an important reproductive technology for women who want to preserve the chance of future motherhood. It offers a reliable option for individuals who need to postpone pregnancy plans for medical or social reasons. The application process progresses similarly to IVF treatments, and the frozen eggs can be stored for years under suitable conditions. When pregnancy is planned in the future, these eggs are thawed, fertilized, and embryo transfer is performed. This method provides a significant opportunity for women at risk of jeopardizing reproductive health due to treatments or at risk of early menopause.
