Age is the leading cause of infertility today. From age 35 onward, a woman’s fertility begins to decline, ovarian reserve decreases, and eggs begin to lose quality.
Nowadays, women are increasingly delaying motherhood for personal, social, or work-related reasons, which is why the idea of preserving fertility represents an opportunity for the future.
At Clínica Fertia, we’re committed to spreading this message so that when women decide to become mothers, they have the same chances of pregnancy they would have had at the time of preservation. To that end, we explain what the technique involves, who it’s suitable for, and what its benefits are.
But… what is egg vitrification?
Egg vitrification is the method used to preserve a woman’s fertility for as long as she wishes.
It’s an assisted reproduction technique that involves freezing a woman’s eggs so she can use them on the day she decides to become a mother.
It’s indicated for:
- Women who wish to delay motherhood because they don’t have a partner or due to their work situation, among other reasons.
- For medical reasons, such as endometriosis, cancer treatment, low ovarian response, etc.
- This technique is also used in in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatments that require egg cryopreservation.
Eggs don’t undergo any changes or deterioration during the vitrification process, which allows them to be kept intact indefinitely.
There’s no established age limit for egg vitrification, but success rates are higher in younger women. For women who wish to postpone motherhood, the ideal age for vitrification is estimated to be between 32 and 36, when egg quality is very good. As a woman’s age increases, so does the percentage of eggs with abnormal chromosomal makeup, and the number of eggs needed to carry a healthy pregnancy to term increases as well. For all these reasons, the recommendation is to vitrify before age 40.
Overall, it’s worth highlighting that egg vitrification is a successful technique, as pregnancy rates are similar to those achieved with fresh eggs.
What is the process like?
- Ovarian stimulation: each menstrual cycle is produced by a single ovary, alternating between the right and left in each cycle. Ovarian stimulation involves administering hormones via injections to get the ovary to produce more eggs in each cycle. The process is monitored by ultrasound from beginning to end of stimulation. This part of the process depends on how long the ovary takes to respond, but in most cases it doesn’t usually last more than 10-12 days.
- Egg retrieval: once the follicles reach the appropriate number and size, a hormone called HCG is administered to complete egg maturation. Approximately 36 hours after HCG administration, the eggs are mature. This is when the eggs are retrieved via aspiration, a procedure that lasts a maximum of 15 minutes, with the patient under light sedation to avoid discomfort. Afterward, the patient can resume normal life, although it’s recommended to avoid certain activities, such as driving, even though she’ll feel perfectly fine.
- Egg vitrification: this is the process of cellular cryopreservation at low temperatures (-196°C), achieved very rapidly through an extreme increase in viscosity during cooling, carried out at high speed to prevent ice crystals from forming inside the egg.
Once vitrified, the eggs are stored in straws that are submerged in liquid nitrogen for preservation. These straws have a sealing system that prevents liquid from entering and keeps them secure.
Does it have side effects?
Vitrification itself has no side effects, although in some cases patients may experience side effects related to ovarian stimulation, which are monitored by the clinic at all times.
For the future baby, there is no risk, now or in the future; there are no differences between babies born from a vitrified egg and any other baby.
How effective is egg vitrification?
When the eggs are young, in women around age 35, fertility preservation through vitrification offers a fantastic chance of preservation, with more than 90% of eggs surviving the process.
If you think any of these situations might apply to you, or you’d like more information about egg vitrification, get in touch with the clinic and request your first free consultation.
