Today, many women choose to delay their fertility due to career goals, education, and lifestyle. However, this delay can increase the risk of fertility problems later in life. Therefore, one method women can use to preserve their fertility and increase their chances of becoming mothers later in life is "egg freezing," or "oocyte cryopreservation," as it's medically known. This procedure allows women to freeze their healthy egg cells in a well-equipped hospital environment under the supervision of a doctor, preserving them until they plan to use them later.

What is the Egg Freezing Process?

Egg freezing is a medical procedure that allows women to freeze healthy eggs produced in their youth and use them later in life. During this procedure, medications prescribed by specialist doctors encourage healthy egg growth and maturation. Healthy, developing egg cells are collected from the ovaries and frozen for long-term storage. When a woman desires to become a mother in the future, the frozen eggs are thawed and fertilized with sperm. This creates an embryo, allowing for a chance of pregnancy. This method offers a promising option, particularly for women facing fertility risks due to treatments such as cancer. In recent years, it has become a preferred method for young women seeking to achieve their career or personal goals.

Stages of the Egg Freezing Process

Egg freezing is a medical procedure that involves freezing a woman's eggs, which are her reproductive cells. The steps involved are:

• Hormonal stimulation: The first step involves using hormonal medications to stimulate egg maturation. These medications are used to stimulate the ovaries to produce multiple eggs.
• Egg collection (Oocyte aspiration): Once the eggs have reached the appropriate maturity, a surgical procedure called oocyte aspiration is performed. This procedure involves collecting mature eggs from the ovaries using a needle under ultrasound guidance.
• Freezing: Collected healthy eggs are frozen using a special method called vitrification. During this process, the eggs are frozen in liquid nitrogen in special containers that can be stored at very low temperatures.
• Storage: Frozen eggs are stored under appropriate conditions for long-term storage. These eggs can be used if the woman plans to become pregnant later in life.
• Reimplantation: When a woman wishes to become pregnant, frozen eggs are thawed and reimplanted into the uterus under the supervision of a specialist. This may involve fertilizing the egg with sperm to achieve a successful pregnancy.

These steps represent the typical procedures followed when women seek egg freezing to increase their chances of a healthy pregnancy later in life and to preserve their fertility.

What are the Egg Freezing Techniques for IVF?

There are two basic egg freezing techniques in the IVF egg freezing process:

• Slow Freezing: This technique involves slow and controlled egg freezing. Eggs are frozen over time using a special cooling protocol. This is a traditional freezing procedure and was previously one of the main methods used.
• Ultra-rapid cooling (vitrification): This method uses nitrogen tanks to quickly freeze eggs. The eggs are placed in a freezing solution that instantly freezes them to an almost glass-like consistency. This method allows for better preservation of the eggs' cellular structure and higher survival rates. Vitrification is the most widely used egg freezing technique today and provides more effective results.

These techniques are the main approaches used when women resort to egg freezing to preserve their fertility or increase their chances of becoming mothers later in life.

Who is Eligible for Egg Freezing?

Egg freezing is an option that can be considered in a variety of situations:

• Medical reasons: Egg freezing is an important option for women whose fertility is at risk due to medical reasons, such as cancer treatment. Radiation or chemotherapy used during treatment can damage the ovaries. Therefore, freezing eggs before treatment can preserve the chance of future pregnancy.
• Advanced pregnancy: Women who desire pregnancy later in life can increase their chances of becoming mothers by freezing their eggs after they reach their childbearing age. Egg freezing is generally considered for women over 35.
• Career and educational goals: Women who want to complete their careers or education and postpone their fertile period may consider egg freezing. This may be an option for women who are planning to achieve personal and professional goals.
• Those with low ovarian reserve: Women with low ovarian reserve or at risk of early menopause can increase their chances of fertility with egg freezing.

Legal regulations vary across countries, so medical requirements and permits may vary by country. Egg freezing should be considered with the advice and consultation of a doctor, in accordance with the guidelines of the Ministry of Health or relevant health authorities. This procedure can provide women with greater control and flexibility over their fertility options.

What Are the Medical Requirements for Egg Freezing in Women?

Medical conditions that may necessitate egg freezing in women include:

• Chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and other treatments: Because cancer treatments like chemotherapy or radiation can damage the ovaries, egg freezing may be considered before such treatments. Eggs can be frozen to prevent fertility loss after treatment.
• Risk of loss of reproductive function: Egg freezing may be considered at the patient's request prior to surgical procedures that could negatively impact reproductive function (e.g., ovarian surgery). This can help prevent the loss of fertility that results from the surgery.
• Low ovarian reserve: Women diagnosed with low ovarian reserve, especially those with a family history of premature menopause, may be considered for egg freezing. In some cases, this procedure can be performed with a medical report from three specialist physicians, regardless of age.

These medical requirements and requirements may vary by country or health authority. Women considering egg freezing should consult with their doctor to determine the appropriate treatment options and requirements for their specific situation.

How to Determine Low Ovarian Reserve?

Specialists use various methods to determine a person's egg reserve. These methods include:

• Ultrasound : Ultrasound is a frequently used method to assess women's ovarian reserve. This imaging technique helps measure the number and size of follicles in the ovaries. Low ovarian reserve can be detected by detecting a reduced number of follicles or small follicles on ultrasound .
• AMH (Anti-Müllerian Hormone) test: An AMH test is a blood test used to assess a woman's ovarian reserve. High AMH levels indicate greater ovarian reserve, while low levels may indicate diminished ovarian reserve.
• FSH (Follicle-Stimulating Hormone) test: FSH levels are another blood test that provides information about the condition of the ovaries. High FSH levels may indicate diminished ovarian reserve.
• Antral follicle count: This method, performed using ultrasound, assesses the number of antral follicles in each ovary. A low antral follicle count may indicate diminished ovarian reserve.
• Age and medical history: By considering a person's age and family history, doctors can obtain important information about the status of ovarian reserve. Egg reserve often begins to decline, especially after age 35.

Low ovarian reserve can negatively impact pregnancy chances, but even in this case, medical help and treatment options are available. Assessing one's ovarian reserve is an important step when planning a pregnancy and should be performed by a qualified physician.

What are the advantages of egg freezing?

Some key advantages of egg freezing include:

• Possibility of future motherhood: Egg freezing offers women who have decided to postpone their plans for career or personal reasons the chance to become mothers later in life. This way, they can choose to wait for the right time or find a suitable partner.
• Egg preservation before cancer treatments: Treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation required for diseases like cancer can have negative effects on fertility. Egg freezing ensures the preservation of healthy eggs before these treatments and maintains the chance of future motherhood.
• Genetic health and quality control: Egg freezing preserves the genetic and health status of the eggs at the time they are frozen. This can reduce the effects of declining ovarian reserve and quality loss with age, increasing the likelihood of healthier pregnancies.
• Control and independence: This allows women to plan motherhood around their own lives and needs. This is a significant advantage for those who choose to postpone motherhood while pursuing their work and career goals.
• Using healthy eggs at a younger age: Egg freezing allows healthy eggs to be frozen and stored at a younger age. This can increase the chance of pregnancy by allowing the use of younger eggs later in life.

These advantages are the flexibility, security and assistance with future planning that egg freezing provides to women.

What are the Success Factors and Results of Egg Freezing?

The success rate of egg freezing can vary depending on a number of factors, from the individual's age to the technique used. Some key factors that influence success rates are listed below:

• Number of eggs: The number of eggs frozen significantly impacts the success rate. It's generally recommended to freeze 8-10 eggs, but more may be preferred, especially with age.
• Age: Age is one of the most important factors affecting the success of egg freezing. Eggs frozen at a younger age tend to be higher quality and healthier. Therefore, women under 35 may have higher success rates.
• Technique used: Modern techniques such as vitrification allow for more successful freezing of eggs and offer higher survival rates when thawed.
• Egg quality: Egg quality affects the success of freezing and thawing. Eggs frozen at a young age and in good health tend to be of higher quality.
• Fertilization method used: The fertilization method in which the frozen eggs will be used (such as in vitro fertilization or ICSI) may also affect success.

Thawing frozen eggs generally has a high success rate, with 90-95% of eggs being thawed successfully. However, it's important to remember that pregnancy success is not guaranteed. Success varies depending on the quality and quantity of eggs and the treatment used. Therefore, those considering egg freezing should seek consultation and further information from a specialist.

Things to Consider After Egg Freezing

After egg freezing, there are some important points that patients should pay attention to:

• Light bleeding: You may experience light bleeding or spotting after vaginal egg retrieval. This is usually nothing to worry about, but you should discuss it with your doctor.
• Abdominal pain and other symptoms : Following an abdominal egg retrieval procedure, you may experience symptoms such as abdominal pain, bloating, and constipation. It's also important to see a doctor immediately if you experience any serious symptoms, such as fever, abdominal hardness, or severe discomfort. These symptoms may indicate a potential complication.
• Intestinal discomfort: Intestinal injury is a serious complication of abdominal egg retrieval. If you experience abdominal pain or other intestinal symptoms, you should consult a healthcare professional immediately.
• Personal hygiene: Personal hygiene is important after egg freezing. Standing while bathing or showering can reduce the risk of water entering the vagina and infection.
• Rest and recovery: It's important to pay attention to rest and recovery after the procedure. You can limit physical activity by following your doctor's advice.
• Use medications regularly: You should use the medications prescribed by your doctor regularly and if you have any questions or experience side effects, you should contact your doctor immediately.

A careful recovery after egg freezing can help ensure a successful outcome. You should always contact your doctor if you have any questions or symptoms.