When should you freeze your eggs
If you are going to freeze you eggs – do it as early as you can
If you are going to freeze you eggs – do it as early as you can
Younger eggs are healthier
The younger you are when you freeze your eggs, the better their quality and the more likely that one of them will be able to make a baby. An ideal age is under 30, but certainly aim to freeze eggs before age 35 when quality starts to rapidly decline.
Younger women get more eggs per round of freezing
Freezing eggs when you are younger, means your ovarian reserve is closer to it’s peak. You’ll not only get more eggs per treatment than you would be able to achieve later, but they will also be of higher quality.
What is I’m already over 35? Is freezing eggs a waste of time?
Absolutely not. Freezing eggs may still be the right thing for you to do. However, you should consider the decision carefully. Here are some important thinking points:
Could I have a baby now? If the answer is maybe, re-thinking your timeline may be the right thing for you
Do I need to think of more than one treatment?
Most women over 35 years who freeze eggs should think of undertaking multiple treatments. A significant proportion of the eggs they freeze will not be viable. Over 35 years many eggs will ultimately make catastrophic developmental mistakes and will not be able to make a baby. Women who wish to freeze eggs over 35 years need to be prepared to freeze more eggs to achieve a similar outcome (compared to younger women who are more naturally fertile).
Written by Dr Raelia Lew
RANZCOG Board Certified CREI Fertility specialist, Gynaecologist and the Director of Women’s Health Melbourne.
Co-host of the Knocked Up Podcast, Co-founder of Lovers intimate wellness solutions. Raelia has a PhD in Preconception Health Promotion and Genetic Screening. Raelia is a leading Australian expert in IVF and egg freezing, pioneering a bespoke model of care.