WHAT WOMEN SHOULD KNOW ABOUT EGG FREEZING, MFMA (Digital)

By on October 20, 2016

egg freezing nyc

Egg freezing has been a viable option for some time. However, most childless women still don’t fully understand the costs and the reasonable choice to preserve their fertility through freezing their eggs, according to a study in China. In a study of young women without children, the main factors that influence their decision to freeze their eggs included financial considerations, health risks, and unknown success rates.

The Trend of Delaying Childbearing

In the past few years, delaying childbearing is becoming an international trend. Although there is a presumption that women mainly do it for reasons, such as careers, travel, or personal agendas, it is actually a case of the cost of raising children and daycare, and finding a suitable partner in parenting, according to a lead study author Judith Daniluk, a counseling psychology professor at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver.

Participant Survey Results

The authors of the survey also asked the women about their views and knowledge of oocyte (egg) freezing for medical reasons, specifically for the four percent of cancer patients who considered egg freezing as their fertility option. The survey participants said that they would discuss this topic with their partner and assess the partner’s feelings, and include their personal concerns about the health effects of the procedure as the driving factors in influencing the decision of egg-freezing.

Limited Education of Egg Freezing

Oocyte freezing technology is relatively new, so there is less information for women to learn about the success rates and the number of babies born using the frozen eggs.

This limited information includes about 20 babies being born in the United Kingdom, according to 2015 statistics from the UK Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority. In the United States, about 100 successful births were resulting from the cryopreserved eggs in 2013, according to the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology.

Misconceptions about Egg Freezing

The Fertility Preservation Survey and the Fertility Awareness Survey were created in recent years to analyze young women’s belief of fertility and intentions after Daniluk after she counseled several women with common misconceptions about their fertility options.

After the childless women had been surveyed, the responses were outstanding, with 85 percent of women admitting to having little or no knowledge about egg freezing. More women grasp the method of egg freezing when it is medically necessary, but not for social reasons. However, younger women overall embraced the idea of egg freezing for any reason.

The researchers suggest that doctors should be more proactive in their fertility conversations with women during their routine medical discussions, specifically for women in their late 20s and early 30s. Additionally, researchers should also develop methods to educate women and increase their awareness about egg freezing options.
SOURCE: http://bit.ly/2dlmoin Human Reproduction, online September 2, 2016.

Maternal Fetal Medicine blogs are intended for educational purposes only and do not replace certified professional care. Medical conditions vary and change frequently. Please ask your doctor any questions you may have regarding your condition to receive a proper diagnosis or risk analysis. Thank you!

©MaternalFetalMedicineAssociates 2024 | Site Map | Privacy Policy | Cookie Policy | Accessibility Statement