Egg Freezing After 35: What You Need to Know About Timing, Quantity & Expectations
No matter your reason for delaying parenthood, egg freezing is a valid option for growing your family on your own terms. The younger you are when you freeze your eggs, the better chances you’ll have of future pregnancy success. If you’re freezing your eggs after the age of 35, you can still become pregnant later on, but it’s important to understand how age impacts eggs before you begin this journey.
How Age Impacts Eggs
Women are born with a set number of eggs. These eggs decrease in quality and quantity until a woman stops ovulating and reaches menopause. Older eggs, whether fresh or frozen, have an increased risk of genetic abnormalities, which can lead to additional pregnancy complications. While this may seem discouraging, many women in their 30s and even 40s go on to have healthy children.
The Egg Freezing Process
The number of eggs retrieved during the egg freezing procedure plays a pivotal role in future pregnancy success. The more eggs you have, the more eggs are likely to survive thawing and the in vitro fertilization (IVF) process. However, with age comes fewer eggs and fewer chances of IVF success later on.
The process begins with a series of hormone injections over 8-12 days to stimulate the ovaries to produce multiple eggs. Once the eggs are mature, they are retrieved during a short, outpatient procedure under light sedation. The retrieved eggs are then carefully frozen and stored in a specialized facility until the individual is ready to use them. Egg freezing can offer peace of mind for those who may want to delay parenthood due to personal, medical, or professional reasons.
Is Egg Freezing Right for You?
Egg freezing can be less successful for women over the age of 35, but it’s important to note that every woman and every body is different. If you’re interested in egg freezing, it’s important to speak with a fertility specialist. They can assess your ovarian reserve to determine how many eggs you have and create a timeline that’ll best align with your family-building goals. In some cases, it may be helpful to plan to complete more than one cycle of egg freezing to increase the number of eggs that are available for future use.
At Kentucky Fertility Institute, we’ll check your ovarian reserve, thoroughly discuss your health history, review any medical concerns, and help you determine whether egg freezing is the right step for you. Our experienced team is dedicated to providing residents of Kentucky and surrounding areas with world-class fertility care, including treatments like egg freezing, IVF, genetic testing of embryos, and more. Contact us today for more information or to schedule an appointment at our Louisville clinic.