Explainer: The worry of aging is over! Know what is egg freezing, through which women can become mothers at any time.

 

In the busy world of Bollywood, it is often difficult to strike a balance between career and personal life. Many actresses have crossed the age of marriage and motherhood, but the desire to become a mother remains buried somewhere in their heart. In such a situation, medical science gives them a ray of hope – egg freezing.

Recently, popular actress Mrunal Thakur told in an interview that she too is considering egg freezing at the age of 31. She says that it is important to strike a balance between life and career, but you are always trying to figure out how to strike that balance. I know relationships are hard, and hence you need to find the right partner who understands the nature of your job. Let us tell you that before Mrunal Thakur, actresses like Mona Singh, Tanisha Mukherjee and Diana Hayden have also gone through this process.

What is egg freezing?

Egg freezing is a process in which women's eggs are removed and preserved through a special freezing technique. This process is also called oocyte cryopreservation. Later, when the woman decides to become a mother, these frozen eggs can be used in the IVF (In Vitro Fertilization) process.

What is the process of egg freezing?

Egg freezing is a three to four week process. It involves several steps:

- First, a doctor is consulted. The doctor tests the woman's health and gives detailed information about the egg freezing process.

- After this, the woman is given some hormonal medicines, so that more than one egg can develop in the ovaries.

- After completion of the course of medicines, mature eggs are removed from the ovaries with the help of a transvaginal ultrasound guided needle. This procedure is usually done under light anesthesia.

- The extracted eggs are kept in a special cryoprotectant solution. Then they are frozen very rapidly at very low temperatures, which is called vitrification. This process protects the eggs from damage.

Frozen eggs are stored safely in tanks of liquid nitrogen at a temperature of -196 degrees Celsius.

Why might egg freezing be necessary?

1. Increasing age: The fertility of women decreases with increasing age. After the age of 35 the chances of getting pregnant reduces significantly. Egg freezing allows women to preserve their healthy eggs at a younger age, which can be used to become pregnant through IVF in the future.

2. Career demands: Many women postpone their dream of becoming a mother to focus on their career. Egg freezing gives them the option to pursue their careers without worrying about their biological clock during this time.

3. Medical reasons: Some women are at risk of losing their fertility due to treatment for cancer or other medical conditions. Egg freezing allows them to preserve their eggs before treatment.

4. Desire to become a mother alone: ​​Some women decide to become mothers without marriage. Egg freezing gives them the freedom to conceive whenever they want with the help of a sperm donor.

Disadvantages of egg freezing

1. No guarantee of success: The success rate of egg freezing decreases with age. The success rate can be as high as 60-70% in women below 35 years of age, while it can be as low as 20-30% in women above 40 years of age.

2. High cost: Egg freezing can be an expensive process. This includes the cost of medicines, egg extraction procedure and storage charges.

3. Physical and emotional harm: Egg freezing involves the use of hormonal drugs, which can cause side effects like nausea, bloating, mood swings and vaginal discharge.

4. Pregnancy and birth problems: Studies have shown that women who become pregnant with frozen eggs have a slightly increased risk of pregnancy and birth problems, including miscarriage, premature birth, and low birth weight.