Egg freezing
It is known that the fertility in females declines with age, starting as early as the age of thirty, and the decline in the number and quality of available eggs accelerates after the age of 35. Women who are not ready to have a child due to personal circumstances at a particular time, can safely delay their motherhood. This is made possible by harvesting and freezing their eggs. Egg freezing is also an option for women scheduled to undergo cancer treatment and wish to safeguard their future chances of pregnancy.
To ensure the efficacy of this approach, ovarian stimulation drugs are typically administered prior to egg retrieval. Subcutaneous injections of hormonal medications stimulate the ovaries for about 10 days. This process is monitored and overseen by a fertility specialist – be prepared for several visits involving ultrasound examinations.
Egg retrieval is performed under intravenous anaesthesia in the presence of an anaesthesiologist – the patient falls asleep for about 10 minutes. The procedure is similar to egg retrieval for IVF. However, a fundamental difference is that the retrieved eggs are not fertilized immediately. The frozen eggs can be stored for years and, when needed, can be thawed, fertilized, and used to achieve a pregnancy.
To initiate the preparations for egg retrieval and freezing, it is essential to schedule a consultation with a fertility specialist.
Sperm Freezing
Sperm freezing is employed as an “insurance policy” in cases of significant abnormalities found during semen analysis. Preserving sperm by freezing ensures the possibility of performing IVF treatment in situations where there are doubts as to the possibility of obtaining sperm from a sample donated on the day of egg collection. Similarly, sperm freezing is employed for sperm retrieved during PESA / TESA biopsies. An additional indication for sperm freezing is the desire to secure future fertility for men scheduled to undergo cancer treatment.
Frozen semen is stored in liquid nitrogen, ensuring the preservation of the genetic material quality. The donor does not need any special preparation, however, in line with current regulations, he is required to undergo tests for sexually transmitted infections. This necessitates arranging a consultation with a fertility specialist, with whom all the details can be determined.
* Procedures performed by ANGELIUS Infertility Treatment in Warsaw.
