HOUSTON – An increasing number of women are choosing when to start their family by freezing their eggs.
KPRC 2 reporter Candace Burns talked to several women who had the process done and looked into why it’s now an option for more women.
“We want to give ourselves time.”
This once experimental procedure has become more accessible and affordable for women like Lauren Dewey who want children, but not right away.
The 31-year-old nurse practitioner is planning a wedding and is in the process of freezing her embryos with her fiancé.
“We want to give ourselves some time to have the freedom to travel if we want. You know, those little milestones here in there,” said Dewey.
Dewey said planning is empowering. Her profession provides her with a unique perspective, working in the Family Fertility Center at Texas Children’s Hospital.
“I can be very real and give my experience. You know, talking about how many injections it is per day, and you know, what those injections are like. As well as, you know, what that process was like,” she said.
Syleste Davis, a 30-year-old MBA student at the University of Michigan, recently completed her treatment to freeze her eggs.
Davis shared her story in hopes of helping other women who may be considering the decision.
“My eggs are frozen and waiting for whenever I need them if I need them,” said Davis. “Every woman thinks that they’ll have time and that they’ll be able to do what they want. But I think also, we all kind of know how the dating world is going right now, and relationships are looking different. They’re happening later,” she added.
Dr. Laura Detti, the Director of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at Baylor University, and Chief of Reproductive Services at Texas Children’s, affirms, that it’s true... the biological clock is ticking.
“All women are born with a fixed number of eggs, and that number only decreases as they age,” said Dr. Detti.
If you are contemplating freezing your eggs, Dr. Detti recommends you consult with a specialist first. This step ensures that you have a clear understanding of what you are working with ahead of time.
“Get a checkup of their ovarian reserve, possibly even before age 30,” she said.
Next, Dr. Detti said you should consider your age before starting the procedure.
“Typically, before age 34. That’s when the efficiency of the ovary is at its highest point,” said Dr. Detti.
“If a woman is over 45, it becomes futile because the number of eggs that would need to be frozen is so high. That it is unrealistic to think that we could actually retrieve all those eggs out of that woman,” she added.
The egg-freezing process typically entails weeks of hormone treatments followed by an in-patient surgical procedure to retrieve the eggs. Subsequently, the eggs are frozen and preserved for future use.
Dewey says women have some common misconceptions about freezing their eggs.
The most discussed one in her office is the concern that the procedure would decrease future fertility.
“That is not something that we need to worry about at all. What we’re doing is we’re rescuing eggs that would have been discarded either way with your menstrual cycle. So, we’re not taking eggs from yourself in the future or anything,” said Dewey.
This process can be expensive, and a significant roadblock is the cost.
Out of pocket, it can reach up to $15,000 per treatment, and some women may require multiple treatments.
However, there is positive news as more insurance companies are now covering these treatments.
Dewey and Davis both said they were fortunate that their insurance covered the procedures.
Additionally, this year marks a milestone with federal employees having fertility insurance coverage for the first time.
Free grants for freezing eggs
Several organizations provide free grants, offering valuable support in making the process more accessible. Below are a few we found.