Since the Apple and Facebook announcement last year, in which they said they would cover the cost of egg freezing for employees—you can easily find the subject of egg freezing in the news, with topics ranging from why women freeze their eggs, to the cost, the best age to freeze, insurance coverage, and the list goes on. Fortunately, this awareness has been positive and more women are seeking information about this new option. Since this announcement, at Shady Grove Fertility alone, there has been a 30 percent increase in the number of women scheduling appointments to talk with a Shady Grove Fertility physician.
One recent article published in the Washington Post: “Biological clock ticking? What you need to know about freezing your eggs” covers a myriad of topics surrounding egg freezing such as: motivations of women who freeze, cost and age, steps in egg freezing, the egg retrieval, and more. One very important point made in this particular article was the fact that many fertility centers are now offering egg freezing for elective purposes and therefore it is more important than ever to get the facts. As you consider quality and investigate where to freeze your eggs, asking the right questions is very important in choosing the best center for your investment:
What is the method of freezing?
Freezing eggs is a highly sensitive procedure and the method of freezing is crucial. At Shady Grove Fertility, we strictly use vitrification which employs flash-freeze technology , because the slow method creates ice crystals inside of the egg ultimately damaging the eggs.
How long has the center been freezing eggs?
Freezing eggs is a manual, hands-on procedure. So practice makes perfect. Shady Grove Fertility is the largest fertility center in the country and therefore our lab technicians have ample experience; we have been freezing eggs successfully since 2009.
Has the center had practice thawing eggs?
After freezing your eggs, the next most important factor is the thawing of the eggs. Again, this is an incredibly technique-sensitive, hands-on procedure. Make sure the fertility center has experience thawing and not just freezing. You want to be sure when or if you need to use your eggs in the future, they will be available for you to use. With over 37,000 babies born at Shady Grove Fertility, and a growing number of those babies born from frozen eggs and embryos.
How many eggs should I freeze?
Women should base this decision on their personal medical history, age, and ovarian reserve test results. On average, we recommend women who are 37 and younger to freeze 15 to 20 mature eggs and women 37 to 40 to freeze 20 to 30 mature eggs.
To learn more about egg freezing, please join our E-Newsletter Sign-Up, attend one of our online or in-person Calendar of Events, call 1-877-411-9292, or schedule an appointment.
