From: cleoabram
Egg freezing is a medical procedure where a person’s eggs are removed and then frozen for later use. This process, along with embryo freezing, allows for the pausing of tiny balls of cells in time, effectively achieving “cryosleep” for reproductive cells [00:00:36]. This technology represents a level of control over reproduction unprecedented in other species [00:00:43].
Why Consider Egg Freezing?
The decision to freeze eggs often stems from evolving societal trends and biological realities. The average age of a first-time mother in the U.S. has shifted from 20-29 years old thirty years ago to 25-34 years old today, with the most common age being 30 [00:01:42]. More women are pursuing education and careers, leading to choices to have children later in life [00:01:54].
While many might believe fertility challenges primarily relate to the declining quantity of eggs, the more significant factor is often egg quality [00:03:14], [00:03:28]. Women are born with approximately 1 million eggs, which decrease to about 300,000 by puberty, with roughly 1,000 dying each month [00:03:00]. However, even at menopause, about 1,000 eggs may remain [00:03:23].
The crucial aspect of egg quality refers to the number of chromosomes in an egg, ideally 23 [00:03:31]. If an egg doesn’t have 23 chromosomes, the resulting embryo usually fails to implant or grow [00:03:47]. As a person ages, the probability of releasing an egg with the correct number of chromosomes decreases [00:03:56]. Dr. Pfeifer, a reproductive endocrinologist, explains that younger eggs are more likely to correctly divide 46 chromosomes into 23 equal halves during fertilization preparation, a process that becomes less effective in older eggs [00:04:23], [00:04:51].
Fertility begins to decline in the early to mid-30s, and by age 42, only about 20% of eggs are expected to be chromosomally normal, compared to 80% at age 32 [00:05:15], [00:05:47]. This data highlights the reality of age-related fertility decline, even if pregnancy is still possible later in life [00:06:27], [00:06:51]. Currently, there is no simple way to determine an individual’s current egg quantity or quality [00:07:22].
This leads to three main options:
- Try to get pregnant now [00:07:37].
- Wait and see what the odds are [00:07:39].
- Attempt to change the odds using technology [00:07:42].
How Egg Freezing Works: Vitrification
The ability to freeze eggs and embryos relies on vitrification, a process that effectively pauses biological material in time [00:07:55]. Unlike freezing water, which expands and forms sharp ice crystals that would damage cells [00:08:10], vitrification involves replacing most of the water in cells with a special antifreeze mixture and rapidly cooling them [00:08:24]. This solidifies the mixture without crystal formation, preventing cellular damage [00:08:29].
This process is successful for eggs and embryos because their high surface area to volume ratio allows for fast and even cooling [00:08:46]. While not yet possible for entire human bodies due to shape and volume challenges [00:08:35], research into vitrifying whole organs could revolutionize organ transplants in the future [00:08:57]. Egg cryopreservation became possible in the 1980s and was no longer considered experimental by 2012 [00:09:13].
The Personal Journey: From Injections to Retrieval
The egg freezing process involves several intense steps, similar to the egg retrieval phase of IVF (in vitro fertilization) [00:11:40].
Hormonal Stimulation
To encourage the ovaries to produce multiple eggs in one cycle, a person must inject themselves with hormones for 8 to 14 days [00:09:26], [00:11:02]. These medications include:
- Hormones to stimulate as many eggs as possible [00:11:02].
- Medications to prevent the eggs from being released prematurely [00:11:07].
This means at least two injections daily [00:11:20]. While initially daunting, the process can become easier over time [00:12:41], [00:13:13]. The emotional and physical aspects of fertility treatments include potential side effects like bloating, mood swings, headaches, and in rare cases, ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) [00:14:44]. Regular doctor visits, blood draws, and hormone level checks are necessary to manage doses and minimize risks [00:14:59].
The Trigger Shot and Retrieval Surgery
Towards the end of the stimulation phase, a “trigger shot” is administered at a precise time to prepare the body for egg release [00:17:42], [00:17:47]. The egg retrieval surgery must then occur exactly 35 hours after this shot [00:17:52].
The retrieval is a 15-minute procedure where a needle is inserted to aspirate the prepared eggs from the ovaries while the patient is under anesthesia [00:18:38]. After retrieval, the eggs undergo further processing before being stored in highly secure cryopreservation tanks [00:19:19].
Challenges and Future Outlook
Despite its potential, egg and embryo freezing present significant challenges:
- Time and Mental Energy: The process requires extensive planning, daily injections, and frequent doctor visits, imposing a substantial mental load [00:14:02], [00:14:11].
- Physical Toll: Hormone shots can cause symptoms like bloating and mood swings [00:14:35], [00:14:44]. The first few days post-procedure can also be rough as the body returns to normal [00:19:00].
- Cost and Feasibility: Depending on medical history, location, and insurance, the cost can range from fully covered to tens of thousands of dollars [00:15:09].
- Uncertainty of Success: The process is not guaranteed. On average, about 10 eggs are retrieved per cycle, but 20 are often desired, meaning multiple cycles may be needed [00:15:32].
- 85-90% of eggs survive freezing and thawing [00:15:43].
- Average fertilization rate is 75% (if creating embryos) [00:15:49].
- About half of fertilized embryos develop [00:15:55].
- For a 30-31 year old, 75-80% of embryos are chromosomally normal [00:16:02].
- Each chromosomally normal embryo has a 55-60% chance of resulting in a live birth [00:16:09]. This complex mathematical journey highlights the uncertainty of the outcome [00:16:27].
Despite these challenges, many view egg freezing as an “insurance policy” or a “hedge” to increase future reproductive options and provide peace of mind [00:16:32], [00:16:38]. The technology, while still in early stages, continues to improve [00:19:55]. In the future, advancements could make egg and embryo freezing cheaper, simpler, and more reliable, allowing more people to have children when they choose [00:16:50]. This has the potential to transform lives by offering flexibility for medical conditions, finding partners, or simply aligning with personal timelines [00:17:01].