Egg Freezing

The egg-freezing process involves 4 steps it can take anything between 3-5 weeks depending on the egg-freezing protocol used by your doctor and if there is any preparation involved. The steps are described below:

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1. Assessment to determine suitability for treatment.

• Typically, blood tests such as AMH, FBC and TSH are conducted along with a transvaginal scan to assess the ovaries. The scan helps to determine the accessibility of the ovaries, the number of follicles (antral follicular count or AFC), and to ensure that there are no cysts the blood test helps determine the appropriate medication, dosage, and treatment prognosis in terms of potential number of eggs collected.

 

2. Preparation for the egg-freezing cycle.

• It is often recommended to prepare for an egg-freezing cycle by taking certain medications and supplements such as Co-Q-10, a contraceptive pill, and norethisterone. These can help to optimize the quantity and quality of the eggs that are retrieved.

 

3. Stimulation of ovaries using gonadotropins.

• During this stage, which lasts for about 10-12 days, the ovaries are stimulated with medications to induce follicle growth. Transvaginal ultrasounds are performed during this time to monitor the ovaries and count the number of follicles and their size. Blood tests are also taken to measure the estradiol level, which helps evaluate ovarian response. When follicles reach a size of 17-22 mm, a trigger shot is administered, and the patient is scheduled for an egg collection procedure typically 34-36 hours after the last injection.

 

4. Collection of eggs followed by freezing in the lab.

• The egg collection procedure (EC) is typically carried out in a theatre and lasts for about 15-20 minutes. Depending on the clinic and country policies, the procedure is performed under conscious sedation, local anaesthetics or general anaesthesia. An ultrasound probe is used to access the ovaries and harvest as many eggs as possible. After the procedure, the tubes containing the follicular fluid and eggs are sent to the lab for assessment of the maturity of the cells. The mature eggs (Metaphase II eggs) are frozen, which usually accounts for about 75-80% of the total eggs collected. The patient is informed of the outcome by the laboratory once the eggs are frozen. The menstrual period marks the final stage of the treatment and typically occurs 7-14 days after the trigger shot.