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Egg freezing is a popular, emerging procedure that attracts many women in their 20s and 30s. However, there are still debates among the scientific circles about this procedure’s validity. Whether or not this is a good option is up for women to decide according to the available data.
Reasons for Egg Freezing
- According to the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM), egg freezing is not recommended as a way to delay having children. (Center4research, 2014)
- ASRM recommends egg freezing for several other groups, like women who are about to undergo chemotherapy. (Center4research, 2014)
- There are medical reasons why so many women choose to freeze their eggs; one study showed that 20% of women chose to freeze their eggs due to underlying medical issues. (Theconversation, 2018)
- Wanting to focus on their career or not having found the right partner is one social reason why women choose to freeze their eggs. (Theconversation, 2018)
Success Rates
- The success rate depends on many factors, such as egg quality, age, and overall health. (Healthista, 2019)
- The proportion of frozen eggs that lead to a live birth is 8.2% for women under 36, while for women aged 36-39 is only 3.3%. (TheGuardian, 2018)
- One study that followed women who had frozen their eggs showed a 20.9% success rate of women attempting conception with frozen-thawed eggs. (Springer, 2019)
- There is only a 2-12% that a frozen egg will yield a baby; if the woman is older, the chances are lower. (Reproductivefacts, 2014)
- ciety for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM), egg freezing is not recommended as a way to delay having children. (Center4research, 2014)
- ASRM recommends egg freezing for several other groups, like women who are about to undergo chemotherapy. (Center4research, 2014)
- There are medical reasons why so many women choose to freeze their eggs; one study showed that 20% of women chose to freeze their eggs due to underlying medical issues. (Theconversation, 2018)
- Wanting to focus on their career or not having found the right partner is one social reason why women choose to freeze their eggs. (Theconversation, 2018)
- 66% of patients have at least a 50% estimated live birth rate (eLBR) after one egg-freezing cycle. (Extend Fertility, 2020)
- The likelihood of freezing enough eggs for a high chance of live birth after a single cycle is connected to age. Thus, for those under 35, the possibility of attaining a 70% eLBR is 74%, for those aged between 35-37, the eLBR is 55%, and patients between 38-40 have an 18% likelihood of a 70% eLBR. Patients over 41 years of age have a 0%-2% likelihood of a 60% eLBR. (Extend Fertility, 2020)
- The average success rate of having a baby after freezing and using eggs is 39%. (PubMed, 2022)
- Women who freeze at least 20 mature eggs have more than a 58% success rate of giving birth, compared to a 24% rate among those who freeze fewer than ten eggs. (PubMed, 2022)
- Women under 38 who had 20 mature eggs thawed had a birth rate of 70%. Those in the same age group who used less than ten eggs had a rate of 36%. (PubMed, 2022)
- Those over 41 who freeze less than ten eggs have a live birth rate of 13%. (PubMed, 2022)
- About one in five thawed eggs does not survive. (PubMed, 2022)
Popularity, Duration and Regulations
- Egg freezing is the fastest growing form of fertility treatment in the UK, increasing 10% in a year. (Theconversation, 2019)
- One study showed that very few women who freeze their eggs use them; 95% had not used them yet. (Livescience, 2016)
- Many countries regulate how long can eggs be stored; in Sweden, the storage period is limited to 5 years, in the UK up to 10 years, and in the United States, there is currently no such limit. (IFLG)
- Freezing eggs does not have a detrimental effect on future fertility; it does not use up or exhaust the existing supply of eggs, nor does it cause early menopause. (Shadygrovefertility, 2018)
In 2021, egg-freezing cycles jumped 31% compared to the year before. (SART, 2023)
The total fertilization cycles using frozen eggs increased by 19% in 2021 compared to 2020. (SART, 2023)
Costs
- In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) costs around $12,400, and egg freezing can cost up to $4,000 to $7,000. (NYtimes, 2018)
- If women who have frozen their eggs decide to get pregnant, they have to pay the cost of both egg freezing and IVF treatment. (NYtimes, 2018)
- Women in their late thirties have higher costs of egg freezing due to the need for more eggs. (TheGuardian, 2018)
- Most insurance plans do not cover egg freezing, except for patients with medical risks. (Reproductivefacts, 2014)
- The average cost for egg-freezing procedures in the UK is around £7,000 to £8,000 ($8,520-$9,740). (HFEA, 2023)
- In the US, egg freezing ranges from $10,000 to $20,000, including medication, doctor appointments, and surgery. However, this doesn’t include the cost of storing frozen eggs, which can be up to $800 annually. (NPR, 2021)
- Only 20 states in the US cover infertility treatments. (Resolve, 2023)
- 19% of large companies in the US offer egg-freezing benefits. (Mercer, 2021)
The Process
- The whole egg retrieval process usually takes up to 4 to 6 weeks. (Fertilitycenterofdallas, 2019)
- The procedure involves two weeks of birth control pills, nine or ten days of hormonal injections to stimulate egg production, and retrieval and freezing. (NYtimes, 2018)
- Women, on average, retrieve 13 eggs per cycle; therefore, it usually takes two rounds to reach the optimum number of 15-20. (Shadygrovefertility, 2018)
Ideal Age to Freeze Eggs
- The average age of egg freezing in the United States is 37.4. (Fertstert, 2011)
- Egg freezing is most successful for women younger than 38 years. (Reproductivefacts, 2014)
- The probability of live birth after three cycles of IVF is 31.5% for women who froze their eggs at age 25, 25.9% at age 30, 19.3% at age 35, and just 14.8% at age 40. (Slate, 2014)
- The number of mature eggs a patient can freeze declines with age. Thus, under 35 years of age, the average number of mature eggs frozen in one cycle is 15, between the ages 35-37, it is 12, between 30-40, it is 9 to 10, between 41-42, it is 7, and over 42 the number is 6. (Extend Fertility, 2020)
- Women who freeze their eggs under age 38 have a higher chance of having a baby. (PubMed, 2022)
Written by shortlister editorial team
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