Cryopreservation: Your Choice for When to Start a Family

It is a parents’ dream comes true when they have a child at the right time.  Some married couples may not want to have a baby immediately, while others may have gotten married late. Some others may have a congenital disease that requires special care if they want to have children.  Cryopreservation – eggs and sperm freezing – is thus an option for those who wish to complete a perfect family at the time of their own choosing.

Aging Matters to Your Fertility

Age plays a major factor in women’s reproductive system.  Normally, women under the age of 30 rarely have any problem getting pregnant.  But once they reach 35, their reproductive system slows down and the quantity as well as quality of their eggs decline significantly.  As a result, conceiving a child naturally may become more difficult.  For men, however, the quality of their sperm is not affected by age.   The fact is, for a couple, there is about 30% chance of a successful conception in a month.   So, if you have sex every other day for a year without getting pregnant, then you are likely to have difficulty conceiving.  In this case, if you wish to have a child, you should consult a specialist promptly to increase your chances.

AMH Test for Eggs Count in Ovaries 

Anti-Müllerian Hormone (AMH) test is very important in family planning.  It measures the amount of AMH produced in the ovaries to evaluate their function and determine the eggs count.  This helps assess the chances of conception.   It is a simple blood test without fasting.  The test will help predict the response to fertility medicine and allow your doctor to forecast the eggs quantity in the cycle for IVF. AMH can be tested in every woman who wants to have a child, regardless of age.  This is due to the fact that some women’s ovaries may degenerate prematurely because of a genetic disease, impaired immune system, or chemotherapy.

Eggs Freezing: Increasing your chances of getting pregnant

Egg freezing help women increase their chances of having a child, especially those who will have chemotherapy or radiation treatment that will damage their ovaries.  They need to consult a specialist for eggs freezing, as the procedure is more complicated than sperm freezing.  Starting from a meeting with the specialist to evaluate and plan the procedure.  This requires a blood test, hormone test, screening for sexually transmitted diseases such as syphilis, AIDS, hepatitis, etc., as well as an ultrasound for preparation.  Then, hormone will be injected to stimulate production of the eggs. These eggs’ development will be tracked, and another injection to strengthen them will be given, before they are collected and preserved through cryogenic freezing at -196∞C, until the day you are ready for a pregnancy.  This means, no matter how old you will be then, the age of the eggs is still the day they are preserved.

Self-Administered AMH Injection

Today, AMH can be self-injected at home without having to go to a hospital.  You can give the injection into your abdomen every 9-12 days to stimulate the ovaries, as directed by your specialist.  You need to refrain from sexual intercourse and strenuous exercises after the injection.  2-3 appointments for ultrasound check will be required to track the development of the eggs and to plan for the eggs’ retrieval, which will be a minimal surgical procedure with a small dose of anesthetic.  The surgeon will use a needle to retrieve the eggs through the vagina.  The procedure takes about 30 minutes, after which you may feel slight abdominal cramping; but you can go home following a few hours’ rest.

More Eggs, More Success 

Each woman produces different number of eggs, depending on age.  In general, a specialist will recommend that the sufficient number of eggs for a successful pregnancy is about 15.  For women under 30, 15-20 eggs can be retrieved each cycle of stimulation; while only 10-15 eggs can be collected from women over 35.  The more you age, the smaller the number of eggs can be gathered at the same time.  So, it may require a few procedures to get the right number of eggs. Normally, the stimulation can be administered once a month for 2-3 consecutive months. However, if more is needed, then you should rest for 1-2 months before another procedure.

Sperm Freezing: The Answer to Having a Child

Men who want to have children when they are older are advised to freeze their sperm for future use, particularly those who will need chemotherapy or radiation treatment that will damage cells in their testicles.  The procedure is less complicated than for women.  Men only need a test for sexual transmitted diseases such as syphilis, AIDS, hepatitis, etc.  Then, sperm will be collected from semen ejaculation, frozen at -196∞C, and stored until it is time to have a child.  

Duration for Eggs and Sperm Freezing

Cryopreservation technique is well-developed, but there is no clear indication of how long the eggs and sperm should be stored.  Specialists recommended that they should be used within 5 years after being collected for the best result, as there may be a greater risk that frozen eggs or sperm will deteriorate after 5 years.  However, there are cases where the eggs and sperm that are frozen for 7-10 years but can still be used successfully.  This will depend on the quality of the eggs and sperm at the time they were collected.   If they are of good quality, then there will not generally be any problem, regardless of how long they have been frozen.

How Women May Determine If They Have Difficulty Conceiving

For women, their menstruation cycle can indicate that they have difficulty conceiving.  If your period is missing for 3-4 months, it may be a sign that you need an ovarian reserve testing.  In addition, a woman’s menstrual cycle is 21 – 35 days, counting from the first day of a menstruation to the day before her next one.  If this cycle is about 45, 60 or 90 days, you should see a doctor for a check-up as soon as possible.

Regardless of whether you get married early or later in life, it is best to conceive a child naturally through regular intercourse 2 – 3 times a week.  For a couple less than 35 years old, you should try it during the first year of your marriage.  For couples older than 35, you should try this method for no more than 6 months.  If still unsuccessful, you should consult a fertility specialist who will help you plan your pregnancy as desired.