Egg Freezing

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.

Patient Journey of Egg Freezing treatment

Initial Consultation

You will meet with us for an initial consultation. Together, you will discuss your medical history, and any necessary preliminary tests and examinations will be arranged. 

Counselling

Our attending doctors and nurses offer counselling services to ensure that our clients fully understand the procedures, potential complications, and alternative options, such as adoption.

We value our clients' autonomy and recognise the importance of taking the time to consider all options. Our professional consultation services, including clinical psychologists, are available to provide support throughout the decision-making process. When our clients are ready to proceed, we require them to sign consent forms and present their marriage certificate before beginning treatment.

We offer egg freezing for both medical reasons (such as treatment for long-term illness) and social reasons. Social egg freezing allows frozen eggs to be stored for up to 10 years, while cancer patients can store them until they reach 55 years old. Regretfully, we must inform patients that frozen eggs can only be used if the patient is legally married under the laws of Hong Kong, even if they froze their eggs while unmarried.

Hormonal Stimulation

Starting your egg-freezing journey involves receiving hormone injections to stimulate egg production. Rest assured that our team will select the most appropriate hormone therapy option for you. If you have any questions or concerns about the process, our doctor will be available to provide support and guidance every step of the way.

Monitoring the Maturation of Follicles

Regular ultrasound scanning (USS) of the ovaries is carried out in order to monitor the size of your follicles and help us determine the best timing for egg collection. 

To complete the final maturation step and ensure the timely release of the eggs, an additional injection, typically in the form of placental hormone (hCG), will be administered.

Egg collection will be scheduled for 34-36 hours after this injection, allowing you time to prepare and rest.

Egg Collection

Through the transvaginal ultrasound-guided oocyte aspiration procedure, your doctor will gently insert a needle through the vagina to collect the eggs, utilising ultrasound imaging for precise guidance.

We place great importance on the safe and efficient management of the eggs. Once retrieved, they will be promptly handed over to the supervising embryologist.

Oocyte Freezing

After a careful evaluation, the embryologist then selects the eggs that are in the best condition for preservation and storage, ensuring that they have the highest potential for future success.
 

STEP

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