FERTILITY PRESERVATION

FERTILITY PRESERVATION

Freezing Eggs (Oocyte Preservation)

What is Oocyte Cryopreservation?

• Freezing eggs, also known as oocyte cryopreservation is a technology allowing women to preserve their fertility and extend their biological clock.
• A cycle of freezing eggs involves the same treatment as for conventional IVF, except the eggs are not fertilized or transferred.
• The eggs that are mature enough for this process are frozen on the same day as your egg collection.

Who Is a Good Candidate for Egg Freezing?

There are several different candidates for freezing eggs:

• Women ages 21 to 42 who do not have a partner or for other personal or medical reasons need to delay childbearing and wish to preserve their chances of having a biological child.
• Women diagnosed with cancer who will require chemotherapy or other treatment that could damage the eggs.
• Women with certain non-cancerous disorders who face potential sterility associated with their disease, for example, removal of both ovaries performed to treat a benign tumor or conditions such as endometriosis.
• In addition, women who test positive for the BRCA gene or who have a strong family history of ovarian cancer and women with autoimmune diseases may be exposed to medications that is toxic to the oocyte.

Embryo Freezing

What is Embryo Freezing?

• Embryo Freezing is a part of the IVF treatment. Embryo freezing offers the opportunity for couples to conceive more than once from a single IVF procedure.
• During the IVF procedure, fertility drugs are recommended by doctors to stimulate the production of eggs resulting in more eggs than required.
• A couple can choose to store their embryos for future use, should they decide to conceive again without again going through the ovum pick up, and In-Vitro Fertilization steps of the process.
• If they later decide not to use the embryos, they may elect to donate them to other couples.

Who Is a Good Candidate for Embryo Freezing?

• The embryo freezing may be an option when you’re facing surgery or cancer therapies that may affect your ability to produce healthy eggs in the future.

Semen Freezing

What is Semen Freezing?

• Semen cryopreservation is a procedure enabling long-term, almost unlimited preservation of male reproductive cells.
• Cryopreservation of sperm does not reduce their quality, and therefore either a frozen or freshly collected ejaculate sample can be used successfully for artificial insemination.

Why do men opt for Semen Freezing?

Sperm cryopreservation is a suitable method for men in following cases:-

• It is for individuals, who wish to store their sperm in a sperm bank.
• For men with or planned oncological treatment.
• During IVF/IUI treatments: A fresh semen sample in most situations will give the best results for IUI and IVF treatments, however, sometimes freezing of a ‘back up’ semen sample may be advised. This may include situations where there is difficulty producing a sample on the day, where for employment reasons the male partner is not nearby, or in situations where there is declining semen quality.
• When prostate surgery or vasectomy is planned.