Common Misconceptions About Egg Freezing
Having children is a big decision that can only be postponed for so long. Egg freezing helps women and couples preserve their fertility so that they can have children when they’re ready - and on their own terms.
Although egg freezing is not a new procedure, there are a lot of misconceptions that can make some women think it’s not an option for them when in fact they could benefit from egg freezing.
With this in mind, Dr. Michael Vermesh and Dr. Tannaz Toloubeydokhti would like to take a moment to dispel some common misconceptions about egg freezing for their Los Angeles, CA, Tarzana, CA, and Bakersfield, CA, patients.
Misconception: You Should Wait Until You’re Older to Freeze Your Eggs
One of the benefits of a woman freezing her eggs is that she can delay pregnancy until later in life. Some think this means that it’s best to wait to freeze their eggs when they’re older and reaching the end of their fertile years.
In actuality, egg quality decreases with age, so if a woman waits until she’s over 40 to try to freeze her eggs, it may be more difficult to conceive later on.
Instead, it’s best to freeze eggs by the mid-30s when egg quality and quantity is less likely to have significantly diminished.
Misconception: Egg Freezing Is Only for Single Women
Egg freezing is not just for single women. Women who are married or in a committed relationship may choose to freeze their eggs for a number of reasons.
Sometimes women and their partners want to have children but aren’t ready or want to achieve other life goals before starting a family. Freezing eggs can help preserve fertility until a couple is ready to have children.
Misconception: Healthy Women Don’t Need to Freeze Their Eggs
Fertility naturally declines with age, regardless of how healthy a woman is. While being healthy can be a plus for fertility, it doesn’t guarantee becoming pregnant will be easy and it doesn’t provide sufficient insight into a woman’s ovarian reserve, or the number of eggs she has remaining. Healthy women can benefit from egg freezing, especially if their ovarian reserve is low.
Misconception: Only Rich People Can Afford to Freeze Their Eggs
Egg freezing is not just for wealthy people. A single cycle of egg freezing costs around $6,000, but can vary based on the patient’s needs. At the Center for Fertility and Gynecology, we offer flexible financing options and a Low-Cost Program to make egg freezing accessible to more patients.
Misconception: The Egg Freezing Process Takes Too Much Time
From start to finish, the egg freezing process can take four to six weeks to complete, causing many people to think that egg freezing will take too much time out of their schedule and require too much time off from work.
The reality is there are only a handful of doctor’s appointments needed during this time that can usually easily fit into any schedule.
The only time a patient may need to take time off from work is after egg retrieval. In most cases, a day is enough time to recover.
Learn More About Egg Freezing
For more information about egg freezing or to find out if egg freezing is a good option for you, we invite you to send a message at the Center for Fertility and Gynecology.