Egg Freezing In Your 20s And 30s: Expert Explains This New Frontier In Family Planning

Egg freezing is fast becoming a popular choice for women who want to delay pregnancy while preserving their fertility for the future. Read expert insights!

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As a woman, when you reach a certain age—usually in your late 20s or early 30s, people, things or situations around you may start reminding you that your 'biological clock' is constantly ticking.

Though this is right to an extent, conceiving tends to get a bit difficult as you age further. Many women want to delay getting pregnant so that they have more time to achieve other personal and professional goals.

What is Egg Freezing?

Egg freezing is a proactive choice for women who want to preserve their fertility. Certified and trusted IVF centres ensure a smooth, science-backed process for egg freezing (also known as oocyte cryopreservation in medical terms). 

Dr Ila Gupta, Director & Sr. Consultant Reproductive Medicine, Ferticity IVF & Fertility Clinics, shares steps involved in freezing eggs:

1. Stimulating ovaries: Hormone medications are given for 8-10 days to produce multiple eggs. 

2. Regular tracking: Consistently tracking progress for optimal results. 

3. Retrieving eggs: A quick and seamless procedure that doctors perform after giving general anesthesia to the female. It takes about 15-25 minutes to complete. 

4. Vitrification: This means rapid freezing of eggs after heating to ensure that their quality remains intact. 

5. Storage: Eggs can be preserved for up to 10 years, with the best success rates within a few years. 

With global standards of advanced technology, fertility preservation has become seamless.  

What is making today’s young women prefer egg freezing? 

Dr Ila Gupta says, "With the zeal to pursue big career goals, developing personal priorities, a lot of women choose to get pregnant later in their lives. Though, it’s true that your fertility and reproductive health tend to decline with age, especially post the age of 35."

Egg freezing offers a solution, allowing women to take charge of their reproductive future. 

"Egg freezing isn’t just a medical procedure; it’s a means of giving women reproductive freedom," says Dr Ila Gupta. “Women today want flexibility in their family planning, and with the right medical support, they can preserve their best-quality eggs for future use.” 

Top reasons to preserve your fertility  

In India, the average success rate of egg freezing is between 40-50%. It is mostly determined by the egg quality at the time of freezing. Since egg quality declines with age, women who get egg freezing done before the age of 35 generally have a higher chance of successfully conceiving in the future. 

"The earlier you freeze your eggs, the higher are your chances of a successful pregnancy in the future,” explains Dr Ila. "Egg freezing is an incredible option for females who are yet to be ready to welcome parenthood now but want to explore avenues for later.” 

Fertility specialists recommend considering oocyte cryopreservation at a younger age, making the cost of egg freezing a strategic investment for those looking to secure their reproductive choices.  

Be it education, career, or personal situations, preserving fertility through egg freezing ensures that age is not a huge barrier to becoming a mother.  

Women who are willing to get their eggs frozen and stored can consult a fertility specialist and experience a seamless treatment process.