Egg freezing is a personal decision which takes thought and consideration. The best way to make the decision to freeze your eggs is to have as much information as possible. Dr. Candice B. O’Hern Perfetto, who practices at SGF’s Texas Medical Center and Memorial City offices in Houston, Texas, provides the facts on egg freezing in a brief Q&A.
What would be your advice to a woman considering egg freezing?
Fertility preservation gives women flexibility in their future family planning. It affords women the opportunity to preserve fertility at their current age while they focus on their personal or professional goals. I encourage anyone who is considering it to consult with a fertility specialist. Your physician will discuss your family planning goals and assess your ovarian reserve. With this information s/he can help guide you through the egg freezing process, as well as inform you of your individual chance of success. Working with a physician to understand your fertility will help empower you to understand if you are a potential candidate for egg freezing.
Does tobacco, drug, or alcohol use affect egg quality? Are there other dietary considerations for women considering this process?
While there isn’t a prescribed fertility diet to improve egg quality or overall fertility, there are certain recommendations I offer my patients. First, it is recommend that anyone who is considering egg freezing or pregnancy improve their overall health by: quitting smoking, drinking alcohol and eliminate use of illegal substances. It is also important to maintain a healthy weight. This can be accomplished by focusing on a healthy diet filled with fruits, vegetables, complex carbohydrates and reduce excessive animal proteins, as well as getting regular exercise.
How long can eggs be frozen before they’re not viable?
The good news is that eggs can be frozen indefinitely with the current vitrification technology. However, our age cutoff for women returning to use their frozen eggs is a patient’s 51st birthday.
What do you see as the future of egg freezing?
At Shady Grove Fertility, we are constantly striving to improve our egg freezing outcomes and success rates. That being said, egg freezing technology has never been better and I would discourage anyone to “wait” for the future. If you are considering egg freezing, then this is the time for a consultation.
While egg freezing seems common, what are things to look for when selecting a fertility center?
Egg freezing continues to grow in popularity; however, compared to other fertility treatments there are less published studies and success rates vary widely. Patients look at many criteria when selecting a fertility provider including cost and convenience, but all women should be asking their provider for published success rates for egg freezing.
Shady Grove Fertility is a leader in reproductive research and technological development — providing women who are contemplating freezing their eggs data, based on extensive, unique research, and significant experience in the process.
Egg freezing success rates at Shady Grove Fertility
Medical contribution by Candice B. O’Hern (Perfetto), M.D.
Candice B. O’Hern (Perfetto), M.D., is board certified in obstetrics and gynecology (OB/GYN) as well as reproductive endocrinology and infertility (REI). Dr. Perfetto received her medical degree from Georgetown University School of Medicine in Washington, D.C.
To learn more about egg freezing at Shady Grove Fertility or to schedule an appointment, call 1-877-411-9292 or submit this brief online form.
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in August 2019, and has been updated for content accuracy and comprehensiveness as of July 2022.
