Dr Sharon Li understands the importance of having a back-up plan for motherhood by Egg Freezing
Egg Freezing is a method of storing unfertilised eggs to accommodate trying to conceive at a later age, when natural conception is less likely. Dr Sharon Li is a female obstetrician and gynaecologist that understands and caters for the ever-changing needs of women and acknowledges the significance of women having more decision-making power in their future.
Why Freeze your eggs?
For an increasing number of women, the prime time of their fertility simply does not coincide with what they consider is the right or convenient time to have children. Presently, there is an inundated volume of information available of how to avoid pregnancy, yet, a lot of women aren’t sufficiently informed of the extent of their natural decreasing ability to conceive as they grow older. A woman in her 20s, a relatively high fertility period, has just a 25 percent chance of getting pregnant each month with the quality and quantity of her eggs supply rapidly beginning to deteriorate after the age of 25.
Many women choose to freeze their eggs because they are aware of the age factor and want to give themselves back-up options in later years.
Times are changing and with it so are people, their needs and the technology developed to cater for these needs. Maybe you are a driven career-focused woman, looking to start a family a bit later on in life or maybe you are currently single or just starting out with a partner and would like the option of kids later on. Egg freezing contributes to providing women and families with the comfort that they are doing all they can to invest in their future by considering all conception options available to them at an earlier age.
Medical reasons for egg freezing
Women that have to undergo medical procedures that diminish fertility rates such as chemotherapy due to cancer or have medical conditions such as endometriosis, can choose to freeze their eggs to increase their ability to get pregnant at a later stage.
Egg Freezing could give woman almost an empowering feeling as they do what is within their means to try to have some control over their future.
When should you consider Egg Freezing?
As age is a key factor in the ability to conceive, women in their 20s and early 30s are most likely to be viable candidates. This is when the amount of healthy eggs present in your ovaries are relatively the highest.
As you age, the quality and quantity of your eggs gradually declines.
The Process
Dr Sharon Li and her team will always be there to assist and provide understanding of each step of the process and what it involves before proceeding to any treatment option.
The Egg Freezing process consists of: Hormone Stimulation, Egg Collection and Vitrification or Freezing of the eggs.
Hormone Stimulation
Every month one of the numerous eggs developing in your ovaries is released, the rest normally die. In order to obtain the appropriate number of eggs for freezing, hormones are used to stimulate growth in these eggs for collection instead.
You will need to undergo hormone stimulation for about 10-12 days. There are stimulation methods to choose from and Dr Li will consult with you and discuss the best method you could choose.
Egg Collection and Freezing
After the period of stimulation, where the eggs (usually 10-15) are developed to a stage ready for retrieval, Ovulation is then triggered and the eggs are removed, usually by an ultrasound guided probe.
These eggs then undergo cryopreservation or freezing and can be stored for many years, to be thawed when you are ready to make use of them.
Success Rates
Egg Freezing is often referred to as insurance against future regret, however, frozen eggs don’t always result in pregnancy. It is an extra option and an extra possibility of pregnancy but it is not a fail-safe insurance policy.
Whether or not the future use of the eggs will result in pregnancy depends on the age your eggs are collected, as this is directly linked to the quality of the eggs and its ability to successfully survive the collection in the beginning and the thawing process at the end.
Egg Freezing Brisbane & Gold Coast
For further information about Egg Freezing or to book an appointment with Dr Sharon Li, please contact us today.