
Egg Freezing
Egg Freezing
A woman's fertility declines and the risk of pregnancy loss increases with advancing age. Advanced maternal age is associated with a higher likelihood of fetal defects compared to younger pregnant women. In addition to age, a woman's quantity and quality of eggs can diminish due to factors such as underlying health conditions, medications (e.g. chemotherapy), and surgeries (e.g. ovarian cyst removal).
With the advancements in oocyte cryopreservation techniques, modern women have the option to freeze their eggs at a young and optimal age for future pregnancy planning. However, it is important to note that eggs can only be stored for a maximum of 10 years in Hong Kong (or till 55 years old for cancer patients, for whichever is the longest duration). Therefore, it is advised that women should not undergo egg freezing too early or too late. For women who aspire to become mothers, freezing eggs can be considered as a proactive way of securing reproductivity. When the woman is ready for pregnancy in the future, the stored eggs can be thawed and used for in vitro fertilisation (IVF).
Egg freezing, also known as oocyte cryopreservation, is a technique for preserving eggs. The entire process takes approximately 2-3 weeks. Prior to commencing the treatment, blood tests are conducted, and the timeline and medication plan are coordinated to facilitate ovarian stimulation, egg retrieval, and freezing procedures.