What is fertility preservation?

Fertility preservation refers to the process of preserving reproductive potential for the future. It is the process of preserving eggs, sperms, embryos, or reproductive tissue to enable individuals or couples to have their own biological children in the future.

Why fertility preservation needed?

• Cancer treatment :- Chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and surgery lower the fertility
• Certain medical conditions :- Autoimmune diseases, genetic disorders, or other conditions that require treatments like high-dose steroids or radiation therapy affects the fertility
• Age-related fertility decline :- Women in particular experience a decrease in the quantity and quality of eggs as they get older. Fertility preservation techniques like egg freezing can be done if they want to get married late in her life. Embryo freezing can be done if couple want to plan family late in their life.

Types

• Egg freezing – The procedure involves the extraction and freezing of a woman's eggs for later use. The eggs are typically retrieved through a process called ovarian stimulation, where hormone medications are administered to stimulate egg production. Once the eggs are retrieved, they are frozen and stored until the individual is ready to use them.
• Sperm freezing – The process of collecting and freezing a man's sperm for future use. It is a relatively simple and common procedure.
• Embryo freezing - Embryo cryopreservation involves fertilizing a woman's eggs with sperm in a laboratory to create embryos. The resulting embryos are then frozen and stored for later use.
• Ovarian Tissue Freezing - This experimental procedure involves removing and freezing ovarian tissue for later re-implantation or in vitro maturation. It is mainly offered to girls or women who have not reached puberty, those with certain medical conditions, or those who cannot delay immediate cancer treatment.

The effectiveness of these techniques depends on various factors such as age, overall health, the expertise of the fertility clinic, and the specific circumstances of the individual or couple.