We’ve been reading a lot about egg freezing. Because the new age involves women who are strong and independent, this service is something that many women are now looking into.

Photo from Victory A.R.T. Laboratory Philippines

So, What is Egg Freezing?

Egg freezing is the procedure in which egg cells are extracted from a woman’s body to be stored frozen to be preserved. Scientifically known as oocyte or cryopreservation, it is a method where a woman’s potential of reproducing is stretched for a longer period. Since pregnancy is advisable in a woman’s 20s to 30s, egg freezing gives women a better chance at motherhood even at a later age.

Why Egg Freezing?

If a woman is not yet ready for motherhood, egg freezing is something she should definitely look in to. This will give her the freedom to enter motherhood at her own time and pace.

How is Egg Freezing Done?

Before the actual procedure, it is best to get a checkup at an egg freezing or IVF (In Vitro Fertilization) Clinic. You can also discuss all of the details with your OB gynecologist first.

Egg freezing starts with a series of hormone injections. These injections will help the body produce egg cells, giving the doctors more eggs to harvest and store. After a series of injections, the clinic will extract the eggs and the specimens will go through freezing. The eggs will be stored in liquid nitrogen at -196° C.

Is Egg Freezing Available in the Philippines?

Yes! According to our research, there are clinics that offer this service including one that is hospital-based.

What Age is Best to Get Egg Freezing Done?

A woman’s prime is at 16-28 years of age; but the mid-reproductive years of 20-38 is good, too. Older eggs from 39-44 have a smaller chance of pregnancy, so getting it done earlier would generally be best.

How Much Would Egg Freezing Cost?

The prices for egg freezing will vary depending on the age of the woman. A younger candidate will not need too many doses of hormone injections since a younger reproductive system is more active than of that of an older one. Older candidates will need more hormone injections for better chances of success. Egg freezing starts at Php120,000 depending on the candidate, and the storage of eggs can cost around Php10,000 per year.

Are There Side Effects?

Since there are hormone injections involved, the side effects can be similar to pre-menstrual body reactions like breast tenderness and abdominal pain.

Is It Painful?

Egg freezing isn’t really painful. The injection is the same as any other injection, while the extraction is painless because the patient will be sleeping and under general anesthesia. The procedure only lasts 30 minutes.

What Happens If the Patient Wants to Get Pregnant?

When the patient is ready, the frozen eggs will be thawed in the laboratory and fertilized by injecting a single sperm into the center of each oocyte. After fertilization, they become embryos that will be cultured in the clinic for 2-3 days. Then, the doctor will transfer a suggested amount of embryos to the uterus using a catheter and monitor them by abdominal ultrasound.

Special thanks to Victory A.R.T. Laboratory Philippines Inc. for answering our inquiries about egg freezing!