Introduction
Throughout history women have taken steps to take charge of their
bodies and their lives. The 1960’s brought the discovery and use of the
combined oral contraceptive pill. Recent technology advances now allow women
to take charge of their fertility and extend their biological clock. No matter
a women’s age or whether or not she’s in a long-term relationship,
women now have the opportunity to take charge of an issue that is the essence
of being a woman.
Background
At the Fall 2007 Annual Meeting of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine,
reports from the US and all over the world demonstrated conclusively that mature
human eggs can be safely cryopreserved. The primary impetus behind egg freezing
was to preserve fertility in women facing chemo- or radiation therapy for malignancy.
In parallel with these efforts, countries with restrictive laws concerning the
number of eggs from infertile couples that could be fertilized at a time encouraged
research into finding ways to freeze and preserve uninseminated eggs for later
use.
Egg Freezing
Egg freezing provides an opportunity for women to, in effect, 'pause' their
biological clocks at a time when their eggs are more fertile than they would
be later on. A woman’s fertility begins to decline at age 27 and significantly
declines after age 35. In addition, a significant factor with regards to a woman’s
ability to start a family is the ‘age’ of the egg rather than the
physical age of the mother to be. Women in their 40’s can achieve the
same pregnancy rates as women in their 20’s by utilizing younger eggs.
By freezing their eggs women can now uncouple the ‘social’ from
the ‘biological’ decision as to when to start a family. Egg freezing
also allows women who see their fertility nearing the end of its shelf life to
stop the clock allowing them to preserve their options.
Conclusion
Egg freezing is an empowering process. Women can now take charge of their
biological clocks and choose the proper time when career, relationships and other
factors come together. By freezing their eggs women can now focus on making the
best possible decisions for themselves rather than having decisions dictated
by ‘biological’ factors.
For over 20 years, the Southern California Reproductive Center has been
helping women pursue their dream of parenthood. Our physicians are the technology
leaders who drive the science in the field of women’s fertility. We have
been honored to help thousands of women gain better control over their reproductive
health.
© Copyright Shahin Ghadir, M.D.
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