I Want a Baby Later but Not Now: Should I Freeze My Eggs?

Fertility is not something to be taken for granted, especially while you’re young and healthy. If your heart is set on having children of your own, you should take steps to make that a reality. However, this doesn’t mean rushing a relationship or placing high expectations on a partner. It may simply involve taking your fertility into your own hands. 

Our team of reproductive specialists at University Reproductive Associates can help you decide if and when you should freeze your eggs to help preserve your future fertility. 

When to consider egg freezing 

Since it went mainstream at the turn of the millennium, egg freezing has become a symbol of agency and autonomy among women just as much as birth control. When given the ability to control how and when pregnancy occurs, women can secure safer and more stable lives for themselves on their own terms. 

Even if you don’t plan on having children this way, freezing your eggs can serve as insurance for your future. Certain conditions like endometriosis and premature menopause can rob you of your ability to conceive, and accidents or miscarriages may happen suddenly and without warning.

There is also the simple matter of aging. After the age of forty, your chances of conceiving are halved, while the risks of miscarriage, maternal illness, and complications steadily go up. Carrying a child to term might be easier in the future if you have younger eggs saved beforehand. 

What makes a good candidate 

Theoretically, any woman who wants a baby later should learn more about oocyte cryopreservation. If you feel strongly enough about children to undergo the egg freezing process, you’ll want to know everything you can about the process.

Regardless of how your current circumstances play out, you’ll be able to try to conceive later. For many women, that gives them the freedom and courage to make braver decisions regarding their education, relationships, and careers. 

That said, certain factors may make your eggs unfit for the process of egg freezing, and you should also be aware that frozen eggs do not guarantee a baby. While around 15-20 eggs are harvested to increase your chances of a viable pregnancy in the future, these eggs are fragile and require specialized cryogenic maintenance in the meantime. 

Our fertility specialists at University Reproductive Associates will evaluate your unique family, medical, and gynecological history during your consultation. From there, we can explain the process in detail and help you decide whether it’s right for you, as well as where to store your eggs for future baby-making. 

To learn more, call the URA location closest to you or schedule an appointment online.