Super interesting post! I’ve had two babies through IVF, the first one from a frozen embryo that we’d managed to get a few months earlier. I was nearly 37 at the time and was told that it would be better to freeze them first, let my body recover from the medication needed for egg collection then give it a go. So a slightly different situation than freezing longer term, but I’d be interested in whether the time period embryos are frozen for affects success! Anna
I think a huge part of it is psychological - the psychological effect of thinking that you're fine, safe, no problem now that you've frozen your eggs. I've had friends in their mid-30s freeze their eggs and then return to online dating, feeling less desperate to meet someone because they feel it eases the pressure - and that helps them to meet someone. One of these friends got pregnant naturally and didn't need to use her eggs, so I agree with the quote above that's what happens in a lot of cases. But it depends so much on the person - it's worth going for the fertility test and finding out how you're doing and whether it's even necessary or worth it to freeze your eggs. Such a minefield though... If you feel it will give you peace of mind then I say it's worth it just for that, despite the sceptical side of me thinking it's a big rip-off!
SUCH a good point. I think Joyce is concerned that that attitude might be slightly misleading, as there's no guarantee of a baby. But then I guess that's true anyway, and in general in life.
I agree that the attitude is misleading but it doesn't really matter - it's just something for people to believe, to give them faith, and if you can afford it then it's a worthwhile psychological/peace-of-mind investment, I suppose. I think it definitely helps in dating, particularly for women in their late 30s and early 40s, to be able to say 'yes, I do really want to start a family, but I've got eggs on ice'.
Super interesting post! I’ve had two babies through IVF, the first one from a frozen embryo that we’d managed to get a few months earlier. I was nearly 37 at the time and was told that it would be better to freeze them first, let my body recover from the medication needed for egg collection then give it a go. So a slightly different situation than freezing longer term, but I’d be interested in whether the time period embryos are frozen for affects success! Anna
I think a huge part of it is psychological - the psychological effect of thinking that you're fine, safe, no problem now that you've frozen your eggs. I've had friends in their mid-30s freeze their eggs and then return to online dating, feeling less desperate to meet someone because they feel it eases the pressure - and that helps them to meet someone. One of these friends got pregnant naturally and didn't need to use her eggs, so I agree with the quote above that's what happens in a lot of cases. But it depends so much on the person - it's worth going for the fertility test and finding out how you're doing and whether it's even necessary or worth it to freeze your eggs. Such a minefield though... If you feel it will give you peace of mind then I say it's worth it just for that, despite the sceptical side of me thinking it's a big rip-off!
SUCH a good point. I think Joyce is concerned that that attitude might be slightly misleading, as there's no guarantee of a baby. But then I guess that's true anyway, and in general in life.
I agree that the attitude is misleading but it doesn't really matter - it's just something for people to believe, to give them faith, and if you can afford it then it's a worthwhile psychological/peace-of-mind investment, I suppose. I think it definitely helps in dating, particularly for women in their late 30s and early 40s, to be able to say 'yes, I do really want to start a family, but I've got eggs on ice'.