Egg Freezing "Experimental" Label Lifted

The good news is spreading like wildfire.  The American Society of Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) has lifted the “experimental” label from egg freezing declaring that the “rate of pregnancy and healthy offspring are comparable to using fresh eggs.”  

Less than a decade ago, human egg freezing was considered a new, expensive and uncertain technology.  Today, the costs will still put a dent in your bank account, but science has made great advances.  

The breakthrough was a process called vitrification or flash-freezing.  “ 80 percent or more of vitrified eggs survive thawing and up to 12% of thawed fertilized eggs produce a pregnancy.”   With significant improvements in freezing and thawing techniques, the probability for overall success increases. 

San Diego's First Babies Born Using Egg Freezing

I read an exciting article about San Diego's first patients giving birth to babies using the new egg preservation technique called vitrification or "flash freezing".  Here are my favorite excerpts from the piece:    

• New mom Shannon Taylor, who's daughter was born in April, "She's such a gift.  My husband and I are ecstatic.  Yesterday we were running out of options, and today we're a real family.  We are grateful beyond belief."
• The center's medical director Dr. Gabriel Garzo, "Our recent successes with ongoing pregnancies conceived through egg freezing marks another milestone in fertility preservation.  It's and option for today's women who may be busy pursuing a career or who don't yet have a partner.  They can freeze their unfertilized eggs until they are ready for motherhood.  The center's advanced technique gives these women choices they've never had before."

To read the full article, click here.

Egg Retrieval - Part Two

The darkness lifts as they wheel me out of the OR.  I hear voices, but I can’t tell if they’re talking to me or about me.  I attempt to speak and lift my head, but quickly resign.  I really don’t have anything to say.  Plus, my head feels like it weighs a thousand pounds.  Hilari lightly touches my left forearm and says, “They got 13 eggs.”  I smile and drift into slumber.