Deciding when to expand your family is a big step. If you’re in a serious relationship with someone you envision parenting alongside or considering the option of a donor down the line, freezing fertilized embryos could be a smart move for preserving your fertility.
Fertility Preservation for Couples
More and more people are opting to postpone having children until later in life. Whether you’re committed to a partner or planning to use donor sperm in the future, freezing your embryos can help you safeguard your fertility for when the time is right.
To freeze embryos, you’ll need to undergo a partial IVF cycle. This involves retrieving eggs from the ovaries, fertilizing them with sperm in a lab, and allowing them to develop into mature embryos over about five to six days.
How Does Embryo Freezing Work?
The embryo freezing process typically takes around four weeks and includes several steps:
Step One: Fertility Assessment and Consultation
The journey starts with a fertility assessment, which helps you make informed decisions about your reproductive future. For women, this includes an anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) blood test and an antral follicle count (AFC) scan. For men, a semen analysis evaluates sperm count, motility, and morphology.
Step Two: Stimulating the Ovaries
After your assessment, you’ll have nurse planning sessions where you’ll learn how to use the necessary medications. This begins with daily hormone injections at home to stimulate egg growth, usually over a 14-day period.
Step Three: Suppressing the Menstrual Cycle
You’ll then add a second daily injection to halt your natural hormone production, controlling when your eggs will be released.
Step Four: Monitoring Progress
You’ll have pelvic scans to track the growth of the follicles in your ovaries, which will help determine the right time for egg retrieval.
Step Five: Egg Retrieval
When the follicles are ready, an injection will help mature the eggs for collection. A needle is guided through the vaginal wall to retrieve the eggs, and don’t worry—you’ll be sedated during this process, so you won’t feel a thing.
Step Six: Fertilization
The healthy eggs will be fertilized with sperm in the lab. In cases of low sperm count or quality, a technique known as intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) can be employed.
Step Seven: Embryo Development
The fertilized eggs develop for about five to six days and are monitored using an EmbryoScope™ to select the best ones for freezing. Once ready, they undergo a rapid cooling process called vitrification and are securely stored in liquid nitrogen until you need them.
What Are the Costs of Embryo Freezing?
Here’s a breakdown of typical costs associated with embryo freezing:
- Fertility Assessment: £590 (includes consultation and fertility tests for couples)
- Embryo Freezing Cycle: £5,195 (covers egg retrieval, fertilization, and freezing)
- Storage Costs: £370 (annual fee)
If you have questions about pricing or want to learn more about embryo freezing, feel free to reach out to our team. We’re here to help you navigate the next steps with confidence!
Ready to Start Your Fertility Journey?
Our patient support team is available to discuss your options and arrange your first consultation with a fertility expert. If you’re also coping with migraines during pregnancy, check out this post on managing them effectively. And for those interested in home insemination options, this excellent resource can provide more information.
Summary
In summary, preserving your fertility as a couple through embryo freezing can be a wise choice if you’re planning to start a family later in life. The process involves fertility assessments, hormone treatments, and careful monitoring, with costs varying based on individual needs.