Help with understanding fertility preservation

Preserving fertility by freezing eggs, sperm, or embryos can help patients in many different circumstances. Our goal is to help patients with understanding fertility preservation.

Understanding fertility preservation

The treatments to help eradicate cancer in both men and women can result in complete loss of fertility. Because of this, patients should preserve fertility prior to chemotherapy, radiation therapy or even surgery. This can allow future pregnancy after the cancer treatments.

Another common scenario in which fertility preservation applies relates to our military personnel. Prior to deployment, active-duty military members may elect to preserve sperm, eggs, or embryos.

Current trends suggest that women are waiting later in their reproductive years to attempt pregnancy. However, ovaries don’t understand the message to wait. By age 40, the number of eggs remaining in the ovaries has declined to around 10,000 from the 300,000-500,000. Additionally, the quality of the remaining eggs declines with age, causing an increase in the risk for miscarriage or genetic defects.

Options for freezing

Choosing to preserve your eggs (or embryos) may offer a solution to each of these problems. Through cryopreservation, your eggs or embryos can be “frozen in time”, which can allow you to decide when you want to have a baby without worrying about age-related risks and the diminished chance for successful fertility that comes along with advancing age.

Single women do not need a partner to preserve fertility. Even if you are still searching for the right person, freezing eggs is still an option for you. Eggs can be retrieved and cryopreserved, or frozen, until you are ready to use them. Texas Fertility Center is one of the only fertility centers in the Southwest to have already celebrated the birth of a baby conceived using a frozen egg.

If you are considering fertility preservation, regardless of the reason, Texas Fertility Center is pleased to participate in your care. Contact us to learn more.