Have you ever considered egg freezing?
Egg freezing, also sometimes called fertility preservation, provides women with the opportunity to extend their family planning window. It’s an option that wasn’t available for previous generations, and the young women of today can decide whether preserving their fertility is the right choice for their family planning goals.
Are there different types of egg freezing?
Technically speaking, no. Egg freezing may go by a few different names, but the medical procedure will remain the same. However, the difference in terminology lies behind a woman’s motivation.
Medical egg freezing/fertility preservation
When a woman chooses to freeze her eggs because of a medical reason, it’s most commonly referred to as fertility preservation. There are a variety of medically driven diagnoses that will call for egg freezing, including a cancer diagnosis (chemotherapy and radiation can potentially harm future fertility), low ovarian reserve, premature menopause and endometriosis.
It’s important for women to feel comfortable discussing family planning goals with their doctor if a medical condition, medication or procedure that impacts fertility is present. Only recently have physicians begun conversations with patients about fertility in relation to other treatment. Patients will need to be their own advocates if they wish to try for a pregnancy later in life.
Social egg freezing
Social egg freezing differs from fertility preservation in that women are choosing to freeze their eggs for “social reasons” – for example, they wish to further their career before getting pregnant, or they want to travel, or they have yet to find the right partner with whom to build a family. Social egg freezing might allow having children to be delayed, depending on the patient’s age, because a pressing need for outside treatment does not exist.
Is egg freezing right for me?
We encourage women considering freezing their eggs to contact Chicago IVF today. We’re happy to schedule a consultation with one of our experienced fertility specialists, who can discuss the process with you in full and determine whether you’re a good candidate and if the process is recommended.
Ultimately, it’s important to remember that egg freezing simply presents women with an option. There can be significant societal pressure regarding family planning, sometimes unfair or too early, but one key benefit is that the young women of today are more aware of their fertility and its potential limits, and that the ability to conceive may be unexpectedly complicated.
Contact Chicago IVF to schedule an egg freezing consultation.