By Rashmi Mabiyan & Prarthana Sharma
Gurgaon: The conversation over fertility preservation in India has always been surrounded by complex discussions between medical, social, and ethical aspects. As women’s priorities are changing, there is a need for greater awareness and access to fertility preservation choices available to couples today.
To shed light on crucial aspects of Egg Freezing, the fourth edition of ETHealthworld’s Fertility Conclave (Delhi Edition) brought together a power-packed fireside chat on the topic “Egg Freezing in India: Empowering Choices and Shaping Fertility Future.”
The discussion was led by Dr. Rajul Tyagi – Founder & Director – Javitri Hospital; Dr Shweta Mittal Gupta – Co-Director & Senior Consultant, Centre of IVF & Human Reproduction, Sir Gangaram Hospital; Dr Sweta Agarwal – Director – Fertility & Gynecology, Southern Gem Hospital and Dr Sonia Malik – Chief Clinical Mentor, Nova IVF as moderator.
The panel discussion started by underlining the value of thorough patient counselling by Dr Rajul Tyagi. “Recognizing the increasing trend of women choosing to freeze their eggs in order to maintain their fertility for social reasons, and stresses the need of patients to make educated decisions. In line with the shifting interests of contemporary society, social egg freezing gives women the chance to prolong their reproductive lives while pursuing their personal and professional objectives, he said.
Dr Tyagi further highlighted that healthcare practitioners may enable women to make informed decisions about their reproductive health and ultimately promote their autonomy and well-being by offering comprehensive guidance and support.”
Social freezing has received a lot of attention in India’s changing healthcare scene, especially in urban regions. Women who choose to preserve their fertility by freezing their eggs for later use at a younger age have the option of social freezing also referred to as oocyte cryopreservation. This approach is becoming more popular among women who want to put off having children for personal, professional, or other reasons. But the conversation on social freezing goes beyond personal decisions to include wider societal ramifications, particularly in a densely populated nation like India.
Continuing with the conversation, Dr. Shweta Mittal Gupta added, “How common the problem of declining ovarian reserve is among people living in both rural and urban areas. This understanding is essential for developing all-encompassing methods of reproductive healthcare that cater to the requirements of many cultures. Recognizing the shared difficulty of this issue allows communities, legislators, and healthcare professionals to collaborate on implementing focused interventions, raising awareness, and expanding access to fertility preservation options; all of which will ultimately enable women to make decisions about their reproductive futures with knowledge.”
Each country has its own set of laws about egg freezing, and these laws frequently cover topics like permission, who owns the frozen eggs, and what applications are legitimate. While getting parental approval is usually necessary for youngsters, adults may not be able to freeze their eggs unless they meet specific social or medical requirements. The decision-making process is further complicated by legal restrictions on the use of frozen eggs in divorce, surrogacy, and postmortem reproduction instances.
Adding to the point, Dr. Sweta Agarwal said “In spite of a greater level of awareness the statement emphasizes the need to address the comparatively low demand for social freezing services. Cancer patients are especially troubled since they commonly seek therapy to preserve fertility after receiving a diagnosis, yet they frequently discontinue treatment after only a few visits. This dropout may have been caused by several things, including financial difficulties.”
Egg freezing, which was formerly chosen by patients with medical conditions like cancer or genetic disorders, has developed into a variety of choices for women who are thinking about preserving their fertility due to personal or professional reasons. However, there are a lot of legal, moral, and medical issues surrounding egg freezing that consumers and medical professionals need to be aware of.
Commenting on the same Dr. Sonia Malik stated, “Egg freezing began in the field of cancer treatment and has since broadened to include a variety of medical and social purposes, transforming the field of reproductive medicine. Egg freezing has given so many patients hope and empowerment by protecting fertility possibilities for those with cancer diagnoses and therapies that could affect reproductive health.”
She also highlighted the urgent need for egg freezing, attributing its rising demand to patients’ growing awareness of their reproductive reserves as well as postponed weddings and career-focused lifestyles. “Research contends that this shift is a sign of more general cultural trends, including urbanization and changing attitudes on contraception. In order to effectively address declining reproduction rates, it is critical to address both medical and social problems.”
Egg freezing presents a viable option for maintaining fertility from a medical standpoint, especially for women who have health issues or lead lifestyle choices that could negatively affect their reproductive system. The viability of frozen eggs has increased due to advancements in cryopreservation procedures; nonetheless, success rates can differ depending on parameters like age, ovarian reserve, and the level of skill of embryologists. Clinicians are essential in helping patients make decisions, guiding them through the procedure, and offering complete care throughout the reproductive process.
According to data from Boston Clinic and Birmingham Women’s Hospital, those under 30 who freeze their eggs have about 1 in 5 chance of developing a genetically connected illness. However, approximately 40 eggs are usually required to ensure a high chance of success, which results in an 85% chance of a successful pregnancy.
On the other hand, the success rates drop to between 50 and 60 per cent for the elderly. Therefore, a patient’s chances of success are greatly affected by the age at which they freeze their eggs.
The experts collectively agreed that healthcare professionals must carefully convey to patients that merely freezing their eggs might not be enough and that the amount and quality of the eggs they preserve directly impact their chances of becoming pregnant.
