When we were kids, the path to motherhood seemed so simple. You find a partner, get married, then one day the stork arrives with a perfect baby for you to live happily ever after with.
Of course, once we grow up, we learn that the story is not always so simple.
We are living in a new age, where the path to motherhood is more varied than it has ever been before. Having options has granted women freedom and opportunities to pursue motherhood in a way that works best for them.
However fertility – and everything that surrounds it – can be a difficult subject for many of us. It’s a topic that can bring up many complicated feelings.
Wherever you are in your journey, your choices and your experiences are valid and important. If you’re interested in learning more about freezing your eggs we’ve got you covered.
Why freeze your eggs?
Egg freezing is a term used to describe mature oocyte cryopreservation, a method used to preserve a woman’s fertility. There are many reasons a woman might choose to pursue this route. Sometimes it can be due to a medical condition that makes conventional conception difficult, due to a medical treatment that might impact fertility, or various other reasons. It can also be personal reasons such as not finding the partner they’d like to start a family with or concerns about their age.
What is the process like?
The process of freezing your eggs starts with taking fertility medication that will boost your body’s egg production. Once the eggs are mature, patients are sedated and the eggs are extracted by a needle. This is referred to as an IVF cycle. Individual eggs are then identified and frozen for future use.
When should I freeze my eggs?
Choosing when to freeze your eggs can be a difficult decision to make. After all, the window of fertility is different for everyone.
“Most reproductive endocrinologists recommend that if you’re 35 you should start considering the option to freeze your eggs, but I would argue that if a woman hasn’t found a partner that she could definitely see herself discussing children with by the age of 30, it would be a good idea to start considering freezing your eggs at that time,” says Katelyn Pietras, a fertility nurse and founder of Gravida Fertility. “If you freeze your eggs between the age of 30-34 you have a better chance of only having to do 1 IVF cycle to get the number of eggs you want to be frozen vs. if you wait until 35 and older you may have to do several IVF cycles to get the desired amount of eggs you’ll need (statistically) to have a live birth.”
How much does it cost?
The cost can range greatly, depending on a number of factors, such as where you live, and what your insurance coverage is like.
“The first question I get from women is always about the financial aspect of the procedure,” Pietras says. “It’s important to work with your medical team and insurance to see if you have coverage for the IVF procedure and/or medications. You want to ask your doctor what dose of medication you’ll be on because it could mean a difference of 3K vs. 7K for medications. You also want to know how much it’s going to cost you annually to store your eggs. This is something that will not be covered by insurance.” Make sure to identify these costs beforehand so you can plan your finances accordingly.
Is it worth the investment?
This is, of course, a complicated question to answer. Statistically, women under 35 who have frozen ten to twenty eggs, will have a 70-90% chance of a live birth. Numbers-wise, that’s a pretty good bet!
That said, we think it’s important to remember that each day is a new day! Life comes with so many surprises. Some even find that alternative routes to parenthood, such as adoption, surrogacy, or fostering end up being a better fit for their family than they initially thought.
Whatever your story, whatever your choices, The Cool Mom Co. is here to support you in your journey as a mother and a woman.
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