There is now a new technology that allows women to have more control over their fertility. Oocyte cryopreservation is a process through which a woman can freeze a quantity of her healthy, viable eggs for use in attempting pregnancy at some point in the future. Because the quality and quantity of a woman’s eggs deteriorates over time, oocyte cryopreservation allows a woman to defer pregnancy until she is ready to become a parent. This technology is especially useful for young women undergoing treatment for cancer or other conditions in which treatment may affect fertility.
There are important caveats for women considering oocyte cryopreservation. Because the fertilization and implantation rate utilizing frozen eggs is about half that for fresh eggs, achieving pregnancy will be more difficult. There also appears to be a higher risk of birth defects in babies conceived with cryopreserved eggs, and the long-term health effects in these children are not fully understood. Therefore, a woman must recognize that cryopreservation of her eggs may not achieve a viable pregnancy.
However, new cryopreservation techniques such as fast-freezing help circumvent the damage to eggs, leaving them more viable. Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) helps facilitate the fertilization of thawed eggs.
The Zarutskie Fertility and Endocrine Institute is one of the few fertility centers in Orange County that is exploring offering this enhanced technology. If you feel could benefit from this technology, we can help you make an informed decision on whether oocyte cryopreservation is the right option for you.
