Here’s why women in their 30s are freezing their eggs to secure their motherhood

Besides being women we look up to, there's a binding thread that ties the likes of Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Ekta Kapoor, Rakhi Sawant, Diana Hayden, and Mona Singh together. If you’re wondering what that is, it’s that each one of them chose to freeze their eggs in their 30s. As far as Jonas is concerned, she, the mother to Malti in 2022 via surrogacy, spoke about choosing to freeze her eggs on the advice of her mother—a obstetrician-gynecologist, in a recent podcast. “I felt such freedom, I did it in my early thirties and I could continue on an ambitious warpath, I wanted to achieve, and I wanted to get to a certain place in my career. Also, I had not met the person I wanted to have children with. So, with that anxiety-inducing, and with my mom who is an ob-gyn (obstetrician-gynecologist) I just did it,” said the actor who also added that the biological clock is real and freezing eggs is a way to take the power from it.

So, what is egg freezing to begin with? 

Egg freezing, also known as oocyte cryopreservation, is a technique that allows women to extract, freeze and store their eggs for future use. It is especially helpful for women who want to delay pregnancy to focus on their personal or career goals. Freezing your eggs provides an option for preserving your reproductive potential and planning the timing of pregnancy without feeling guilty about reduced chances of conceiving. 

Why is it preferred to embryo freezing?

Egg freezing is often preferred over embryo freezing because it preserves fertility until you are healthy and prepared to conceive. Additionally, the quality of the frozen egg remains similar to that produced at a younger age.

It’s practical as well

Earlier egg freezing was commonly done for women who were suffering from cancer and wanted to preserve their fertility as treatments such as chemotherapy damages the egg quality. However today, egg freezing is increasingly becoming common among women who want to postpone motherhood due to various reasons such as their career, education, or not finding the right partner yet. 

What’s the right age to freeze your eggs?

The number of eggs required for freezing varies depending on the age of the woman. Younger women require fewer eggs to be frozen than older women. Egg freezing is considered most effective between the ages of 20-27, as fertility starts to decline after the age of 30 and decreases significantly after 40 years of age. Nevertheless, it is common for women to freeze their eggs between the ages of 30-35. It is important to note that eggs can only be stored for a maximum of 10 years, and some may begin to deteriorate even earlier.

Biological clock medically speaking is a reality as there is a decline in ovarian reserve and post 35 chances of pregnancy can go down steeply.  However, the advancement of science has given some flexibility, choice, and freedom for women wanting to postpone motherhood. She can have the best of both her career and being a mother as well as take charge of her biological clock with egg freezing at the same time without having to worry about a certain window for conception.  Apart from social egg freezing women who are unable to conceive due to health reasons or are predisposed to certain health conditions can plan their motherhood with egg freezing which is now a boon. Egg freezing, also termed oocyte cryopreservation, is a reliable form of assisted reproductive technology (ART) to secure a woman’s motherhood.

What does the entire process involve? 

The entire egg-freezing procedure usually takes approximately two-three weeks to complete. However, most cycles can be done in less than 2 weeks.

At a later date when a woman wishes to conceive, the eggs can be thawed and combined with the sperm to create an embryo which can be implanted into the uterus.  

Before the egg-freezing process starts, the consulting doctor undertakes a comprehensive medical history to assess certain factors to achieve fertility such as menstrual cycle and hormone levels.

After the doctor’s observation, a transvaginal ultrasound is performed to keep a check on the antral follicle count (AFC), a method to assess the ovarian reserve or the number of eggs remaining in your ovaries.

Women usually release one egg per month from their ovaries. However, with age, the quality and quantity of eggs decrease. When fewer eggs are available for the freezing procedure, the chances of achieving a successful pregnancy are comparatively lower. To maximize the number of available eggs, women undergo hormone treatment which helps stimulate the production of eggs and helps the eggs mature. During this period, the doctor undertakes regular blood tests to monitor the effects of hormone treatments and assess the development of the egg.

The egg is then retrieved from the ovaries and a cryoprotectant or freezing solution is added to protect the eggs for future use. The eggs are then frozen by vitrification or fast freezing and stored in tanks of liquid nitrogen to minimize the risk of ice crystals forming on the eggs.

In conclusion, egg freezing is an effective solution for women opting to preserve their fertility. At the same time, the age at which a woman should opt for freezing her eggs is critical. It is advisable to free eggs in the 20s and early 30s as this will enhance chances of success and the quality of the egg too is not compromised. It is definitely worth giving a shot if you want to beat the biological clock.

Inputs by Dr. R. Leela, Senior infertility specialist, Kamineni Fertility, Hyderabad, and Dr. Apurva Satish Amarnath, Fertility Consultant at Nova IVF Fertility, Bengaluru