Egg Freezing; Age and Cost of Egg Freezing

Egg freezing, also known as "cryopreservation" without fertilization in medical terms, is a method of preserving a woman's fertility so she can attempt to become pregnant in the future. This process involves collecting a woman's eggs, freezing them, and then thawing them later for use in fertility treatments. A woman's chance of becoming pregnant naturally declines with age because both the quality and quantity of her eggs decrease. Egg freezing can be an attempt to preserve a woman's fertility while she is still young and her eggs are of the highest quality. Although it does not guarantee pregnancy, it can increase the chances of successful pregnancy later in life.

During the egg freezing procedure, medications are used to stimulate the growth of eggs. These eggs are then collected from the ovaries and frozen for storage. At a later date, the eggs can be thawed and combined with sperm to create embryos. The embryos can then be implanted into the uterus during an embryo transfer cycle. While the timeline may vary, you can expect the entire egg freezing process to take 2 to 3 weeks. Most cycles can be completed in less than 2 weeks. Ovarian stimulation is synchronized with your menstrual cycle to ensure optimal results. During this process, the ovaries are carefully monitored using ultrasound and blood tests to check hormone levels.

The best time for egg freezing is in your 20s to early 30s, as this is when the quality and quantity of your eggs are at their peak. For most women, age 30 represents the peak of fertility. While eggs can be retrieved and frozen after this age, most fertility specialists believe that egg freezing is less likely to be effective for women in their 40s.

Yes, it is possible for single and virgin women to freeze their eggs, but it should only be done in certain special circumstances. Egg freezing for single and virgin women may occur in the following cases:

In some cases, a single and virgin woman may not have the opportunity to marry and may face the risk of losing the chance to become a mother due to aging, so she seeks to preserve her eggs for future use.

In some cases, a single woman may be undergoing treatment for a disease such as chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or ovarian surgery, and this treatment may affect her fertility in the future. Therefore, she may freeze her eggs before starting treatment to ensure the possibility of pregnancy later.

In cases where a single and virgin woman suffers from fertility-related health issues like sickle cell anemia, which may later affect her fertility, or if she has an autoimmune disease or is considering gender transition, egg freezing is recommended.

Egg freezing in Iran is carried out by specialized clinics and doctors. Below are the steps involved in the process of egg freezing:

In the first step, you must be tested for any infectious diseases like HIV and hepatitis. This does not affect whether you can freeze your eggs, but it ensures that damaged egg samples are stored separately to prevent contamination of other samples.

You will then begin the IVF process, which typically takes about two to three weeks to complete. This process usually involves taking medications to increase egg production and help the eggs mature. Once they are ready, they are collected while you are under general anesthesia or sedation.

At this stage, instead of mixing the eggs with sperm (as in a normal IVF procedure), a cryoprotectant solution is added to protect the eggs. The eggs are then frozen either through slow freezing or vitrification (rapid freezing) and stored in liquid nitrogen tanks. Recent statistics show that vitrification (rapid freezing) is more successful than slow cooling.

Most patients under 38 will collect about 7 to 14 eggs, though this may not be possible for those with low ovarian reserves (few eggs). When the eggs are needed, they are thawed and those that remain healthy are injected with sperm from a partner.

If you are looking for the best egg freezing centers in Iran, you should conduct thorough research. There are many infertility treatment centers and egg donation services available, but only a few of them have a successful track record. Additionally, ensure that the fertility centers are equipped with the latest technologies. With the help of social media, you can easily search for the name of the clinic, review their activities, and contact them for consultations to ask any questions you may have. This will help you choose the best egg freezing center with peace of mind.

Currently, public treatment centers do not have the budget for egg freezing, so you cannot undergo egg freezing at government-run centers. Private centers, however, charge various fees for egg retrieval and freezing, and the costs vary depending on the facilities and location of the private treatment centers. To know the exact cost, you need to contact private clinics or inquire during in-person visits.

Egg freezing is an effective method to increase fertility opportunities for women who intend to become pregnant in the future. If you decide to freeze your eggs, make sure to choose a clinic with extensive experience and review the satisfaction rates of individuals who have visited the clinic before you.