We all know that as we age, especially in our 40s, our chances of conceiving and carrying a healthy pregnancy to term decrease by leaps and bounds. Also, the quality of the egg that is released during each cycle decreases, which in turn increases the chance of having chromosomal abnormalities in the babies.
This is why those women who do not wish to get pregnant until much later in life due to their career, personal, or health reasons generally opt for fertility preservation. You can get this done at the Center for Reproductive Medicine, which is based in 2 locations in Florida. In their Celebration fertility preservation clinic, reproductive endocrinologists evaluate the health condition of the female before deciding which method of preservation will work best for her so that she can have a healthy pregnancy when she desires.
Methods of fertility preservation
If you are living in Celebration, Florida, you can do a quick Google search to find a local fertility clinic in your area and check out which of the following preservation methods is best suited for your chances and greater chances of conception in the future:
- Freezing embryos:
- This is the oldest method of preservation used.
- Here the egg is first fertilized to produce an embryo which is then frozen.
- When conception is desired, the embryo is implanted into the uterus just as in IVF.
- However, if you do not have a male partner currently and you do not desire to use donor sperm, this method will not work for you.
- Freezing eggs:
- In this case, the eggs are retrieved from a healthy female as oocytes which are then frozen.
- Later, when a female desires to get pregnant, the frozen eggs are thawed and fertilized.
- Once healthy embryos are developed, they are implanted in the uterus.
- However, the process requires the retrieval of a lot of eggs from multiple cycles because most of the eggs get damaged by the ice crystals when they are subjected to the process of freezing.
- Vitrification:
- The retrieved oocytes are preserved through this method by freezing them very rapidly so that ice crystals are not formed.
- The chances of preserving healthy eggs through the process are very high.
- However, for the success rate to be high, you should preserve your eggs before you hit your 30s.
- Freezing ovarian tissue:
- It is mostly suggested for girls who have not started menstruating yet.
- It is also a chosen method when someone is taking treatment for cancer.
- Ovarian tissue or the entire ovary is frozen which remains viable for re-implantation for up to 7 years.
If childbirth is not what you want now and you are worried that you will lose fertility with age, talk to a fertility specialist to evaluate your options. The sooner you opt for preservation, the higher will be your chances of having a successful conception in the future.