Egg Freezing

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Preserving Your Future Fertility at Aspire HFI

Also known as oocyte cryopreservation, egg banking or egg freezing, involves extracting and then freezing an individual’s s eggs so that they can be stored for in vitro fertilization at a later time. When the patient is ready to become pregnant, these cryopreserved eggs can be thawed, fertilized outside of the body through intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), and transferred into the womb as embryos. At the Aspire Houston Fertility Institute, we use vitrification for fertility preservation, a safe and effective freezing method to give our patients the best chances of pregnancy success.

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Who Should Consider Egg Freezing?

There are several reasons why someone might choose to freeze their eggs, including career focus, military service, or health concerns. If you think you’d be a good candidate for egg freezing, it’s important to discuss your options with an experienced fertility specialist.

Common reasons for freezing eggs

  • A recent cancer diagnosis

  • Waiting for the right partner

  • Conditions that impact fertility, such as endometriosis, premature menopause, and polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)

  • Military deployment

  • Career aspirations

  • Simply wanting to pursue parenthood later in life

What Is the Best Age to Freeze Your Eggs?

In many instances, most eggs survive the freezing and thawing process. While pregnancy is not guaranteed, success rates for frozen eggs are generally comparable to those for non-frozen eggs. The most important factor is the age of the individual at the time of egg freezing. The younger the person, the better the outcome, as both the quality and quantity of eggs decline with age. The ideal time to freeze your eggs is before the age of 35.

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The Egg Freezing Process

After an initial consultation with one of our fertility specialists, the egg freezing process involves minimal testing including a pelvic ultrasound and bloodwork to assess the number of eggs in the ovary. Patients then take injectable fertility medication to stimulate the ovaries.

Similar to a traditional IVF cycle, the goal is to safely grow as many eggs as possible, from both ovaries. Growth of the ovarian follicles is closely monitored for about 10-12 days until they become mature, at which point the patient undergoes an egg retrieval. The mature eggs are then frozen and remain viable indefinitely. If and when the patient desires to use them for IVF, some or all are thawed and fertilized with sperm to create embryos, which are then transferred, typically one or two at a time, back into the uterus, hopefully resulting in a successful pregnancy. 

As with any medical procedure, the egg freezing process carries certain risks. One example is ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome, which can cause the ovaries to swell and leak fluid into the body. However, severe complications are generally uncommon.

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Egg Freezing Costs

Cost is a significant consideration when exploring fertility treatment options such as egg freezing, but at Aspire HFI, we believe it shouldn't be a barrier to your path to parenthood. Many diagnostic tests, treatments, and procedures may be covered by health insurance, and our team will ensure you get the most out of your benefits. Even if insurance doesn't fully cover a particular treatment, we offer various financing options to make fertility care more accessible.

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Our Experts Have Walked This Same Path

Aspire Houston Fertility Institute was created by patients, for patients. No matter who you are or what your unique fertility journey is, we’re here to help you achieve your family-building goals. Our Egg Freezing Program is available at all 14 of our fertility clinic locations and provides fertility preservation services for women facing medical treatment affecting egg quality or who simply wish to delay their family-planning options for the future. We also provide egg donors for patients who are otherwise unable to have children using their own eggs and need the help of third-party reproduction. Our patients have access to our donor egg bank program, which is filled with donor eggs from only the most qualified donors.

Schedule an Egg Freezing Consultation in Houston

If you have questions about egg freezing, contact Aspire Houston Fertility Institute. Our team is ready to meet you right where you are in your fertility journey.

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