Female Fertility Preservation

Female Fertility Preservation Procedure and Benefits

Thanks to advancements in reproductive science, women now have the ability to preserve their fertility and conceive biologically-even later in life. Fertility preservation offers women the freedom to plan motherhood according to their personal timelines. This process involves storing eggs, embryos, or ovarian tissue in a controlled laboratory environment for future use.

It’s especially valuable for women facing medical challenges such as cancer, where treatments like chemotherapy and radiotherapy can cause permanent damage to the ovaries and lead to reduced fertility. By harvesting and preserving eggs before beginning such treatments, women can later pursue pregnancy through IVF, with the fertilized embryo safely implanted into the uterus. This proactive approach offers hope and control to women navigating both health concerns and future family planning.

Egg Freezing

Egg freezing is a key component of female fertility preservation, involving the storage of unfertilized eggs in liquid nitrogen at extremely low temperatures. To collect the eggs, the woman undergoes hormonal stimulation for about 10 to 12 days, encouraging the ovaries to produce multiple mature eggs. Once retrieved, these eggs are carefully frozen and stored, allowing them to be used later when the woman is ready to pursue pregnancy.

Embryo Freezing

In embryo freezing, mature eggs are first fertilized with the male partner’s sperm through In Vitro Fertilization (IVF). The resulting embryos are then carefully frozen and stored in liquid nitrogen. These embryos can be thawed and used in the future when the couple is ready to attempt pregnancy.

Ovarian Tissue Freezing

Ovarian tissue freezing involves harvesting a small sample of ovarian tissue and preserving it in liquid nitrogen. When the woman is ready, the tissue is thawed and reimplanted into her pelvic region. Typically, within about nine months, the tissue begins to function, producing hormones and developing follicles. This method can potentially allow for natural conception, without the need for IVF.

However, it’s important to note that ovarian tissue freezing is still considered an experimental technique and is not yet widely adopted in routine clinical practice.

Storage of Frozen Embryos

Once eggs are harvested, they are carefully processed and labeled with the individual’s identifying details. The temperature is gradually reduced to sub-freezing levels, and the eggs are stored in a strictly controlled environment. Throughout this process, stringent quality assurance protocols are followed to ensure the safety and integrity of the stored eggs.

Similarly, when embryos are frozen, they enter a state comparable to deep sleep or hibernation. Their cellular activity slows to a near standstill, placing them in stasis. This dormant state prevents any damage during freezing, as the cells are essentially inactive and preserved in pristine condition. Importantly, these stored eggs and embryos are not used for testing or research—they are reserved exclusively for future use by the individual or couple.

Benefits of Female Fertility Preservation

Cancer and its treatments-particularly chemotherapy and radiotherapy-can significantly impact a woman’s reproductive health. These therapies may lead to subfertility, complete infertility, or even cause genetic mutations in the unfertilized eggs, increasing the risk of passing on anomalies to future offspring.

Female fertility preservation offers a proactive solution. By freezing eggs, embryos, or ovarian tissue before starting treatment, women can safeguard their ability to have biological children in the future-ensuring that cancer care doesn’t close the door on motherhood.

Pregnancy after Fertility Preservation

When a woman is ready to conceive, preserved eggs are thawed and fertilized through In Vitro Fertilization (IVF). The resulting embryo is then transferred into the uterus, where implantation can occur. In cases where embryos were previously frozen, they can be directly placed into the uterus for implantation. Once this process is successful, the pregnancy proceeds just like any natural conception, with routine obstetric follow-ups to monitor progress and ensure maternal and fetal health.

In the case of ovarian tissue preservation, the thawed tissue is reimplanted into the woman’s abdominal or pelvic cavity. The goal is for the tissue to respond to the body’s reproductive hormones, resume ovulation, and produce mature eggs. If ovulation resumes, pregnancy may be achieved naturally through timed intercourse or assisted through methods like Intrauterine Insemination (IUI).