There are a number of reasons why individuals or couples may choose to pursue fertility preservation. Some people want to achieve career milestones before having children. Others face diseases, like cancer, whose treatments affect fertility. Still others want to be able to have biological children after sex reassignment surgery (SRS).

Whatever your reason for choosing fertility preservation, the Center for Reproductive Health is here to help you decide when and how to grow your family.

What is Egg Freezing?

Egg freezing is a process that allows fertility specialists to preserve unfertilized eggs until the donor (or the recipient of the eggs) is ready to use them. Doctors stimulate egg production in the donor, and the eggs are then collected and frozen for future use. Freezing preserves young, healthy eggs before age and environmental damage can lower fertility, giving families a better chance for genetic children in the future. The whole process takes approximately two weeks and involves minimal discomfort.

Eggs are frozen instantaneously by vitrification, a cutting-edge technology that prevents ice crystals from forming and causing damage. They can then be preserved indefinitely until the donor or recipient is ready to begin or expand their family.

What is Embryo Banking?

Embryo banking is an increasingly common choice for individuals or couples looking to preserve their fertility. The process begins with in vitro fertilization (IVF), followed by pre-implantation genetic testing and diagnosis to determine the health and viability of the embryos.

The embryos are then frozen until a pregnancy is desired, at which point your doctors will advise on how many embryos should be implanted. Embryo banking has a relatively high rate of success – every embryo has about a 65% chance of resulting in a live birth.

Other Fertility Preservation Options

In addition to egg freezing and embryo banking, we offer a number of services for fertility preservation.

• Sperm freezing
• Testicular tissue aspiration and freezing
• Donor egg treatment
• Gestational carrier treatment
• Hormone treatment
• Ovarian tissue freezing