4 Things You Need To Know Before You Decide To Freeze Your Eggs
When I was in my 20's I was trying to "figure it out"? Figuring out included what I wanted to do with my career, where I wanted to live, and that "figuring out" didn't include a husband or kids at the time. So what do you do when you are single in your 20's and have no significant responsibilities besides yourself? You fill your life with things like school, volunteering, foodie dates, and traveling. At 28, I was in business school, volunteering, traveling, and had a few admirers, but I wasn't in a relationship.
When I turned 30, I graduated from business school. I had this business degree but no real direction of what to do, so I started a business that I had no experience but had a great mentor in my father. At 30, I was ready to "Run The World" I was still volunteering and traveling, but now I was seeking a mate after attending about six weddings over two years, in my late twenties to early thirties, I was being the bridesmaid and not the bride. At thirty, I started to seek a mate a little more seriously while still having fun. I guess it is time to start looking. Still, it wasn't a number one priority for me like I wasn't the type of woman who ever thought I need to be married by (insert age). From 20-30, I changed and matured so much I knew I still had work to do on myself spiritually, financially, and relationally. But, I was ready to be in a relationship. I still like to be friends first, like get to know a person before I dive in and fall in love and not lust, so I met my EX at 30, and you know we were friends first then finally started to date in 2014. I thought I found the one I entered a relationship with him in 2015. I was 34 years old; after two years of being together, we had "THE TALK" you know the so where are we going with this, or do you want to move forward with getting married. He wasn't ready to get married, so I had to decide do I stay in a long-term relationship knowing marriage is not an option, or do I go and find what I truly desire. After some contemplating, I decided I didn't want complacency and be in a relationship for ten years, so I ended things, especially when he said, "I don't want to waste your time" I knew it was time to go. So at 36, I was single again, and I felt a little lost, like no more date nights or watching Game of Thornes on Sundays with him anymore, and at my annual OBGYN appt, she asked me, "So have you thought about having children"? I was like, yes, I thought about it...lol, but it takes 2, and I am single as a dollar bill, then she said, "Well, you should consider freezing your eggs."
"What"? "Freeze my eggs"?...lol she said, "Yes," she explained to me as you age, your egg count decreases, and the chances of you having a baby as you age diminish. My thoughts started running through my head. I am single, trying to "figure out" should I freeze my eggs now, or will I meet someone new and get married, or will my ex re-consider and we get back together. Not knowing what the future holds and never being pregnant, I decided to inquire about it. My OGBYN referred me to Dr. Gunnala of Southwest Fertility Center here in Phoenix, AZ. I was 37 years old.
Here are my four things you need to know before deciding to freeze your eggs that any woman over 35 can use.
Do you even have eggs to freeze?
If you are over 35 and have never been pregnant before, you need to know if you even have eggs to freeze. You need to see if you can get pregnant. Most women wait until they get married and start trying to conceive. For women that are barren, the ultrasound will show no eggs. My doctor told me when she viewed some women's ovaries during the ultrasound, it is dark, and she sees no eggs. So you have to have eggs to freeze if you want to freeze your eggs.
2 You need to prep your body if you decide to freeze your eggs.
Ok, so your ultrasound reveals you have eggs (insert happy dance); now, the doctor will need to test your progesterone level. So that is another appointment. The progesterone level test is the hormone made by your ovaries. It helps make your uterus ready to support a fertilized egg and triggers your body that a baby is in your uterus. So in preparation for my progesterone level test, my doctor gave me a list of vitamins to take. The list of vitamins she told me to take was Prenatal Vitamins, COQ 10 300-400MG, Vitamin D 2000 units a day, and Folic Acid. After your ultrasound, you take vitamins for about four weeks then have your next appointment already scheduled to get your progesterone level done. They draw your blood to have the progesterone hormone tested, and then you schedule another appointment to consult with the doctor after your levels have come in.
3) You need to decide if you want to freeze and harvest your eggs.
The first appointment is the ultrasound, and the second appointment is the progesterone level test; the third appointment is the consultation. So between the progesterone level test and the follow-up consultation appointment, you need to decide if you want to freeze your eggs. Your doctor will want to know at the follow-up consultation appointment if you're going to proceed forward. At your consultation appointment, the doctor will go over your results from the progesterone levels, then explain the freezing egg procedure to you, and the time it will take is about two to three weeks. You will have to give yourself injections to prep your body for your eggs to be harvested and stored. So at your follow-up consultation appointment is the appointment where you decide yes I am freezing my eggs or no I am not going to freeze my eggs.
4) You need to know the cost of freezing your eggs
So let's talk coins. Preservation of your eggs is not a covered benefit for most insurances. If egg freezing is a covered benefit for your insurance praise the Lord. My insurance did not cover egg freezing. Currently, insurance only covers IVF, which is In-Virto Fertilization. My initial appointment was $500 for the ultrasound. My second appointment costs were lab fees for the progesterone levels, and my third appointment was the follow-up consultation appointment, a specialist doctor appointment fee. Once you decide to say yes to freezing your eggs, you will have to come out of pocket $11,000. The bulk of the $11,000 is the hormone medication you have to inject into yourself before the procedure and the storage fees. After the eggs get harvested, you have to pay to have them stored until you are ready to use them. Is $11,000 too much to preserve your eggs? If so, they have some discounts on meds and can file for financial assistance.
So those are my top four key takeaways from my consultation of starting the process of seeking to get my eggs frozen. After heavy consideration, at the age of 38, I decided not to freeze my eggs. One reason why I chose not to freeze my eggs is that I am healthy. My eggs are intact, and my fertilization levels are in range. I can conceive, and the cost out of pocket was a lot. I am 40 now, there are lots of women having babies in their 40's, and that will be me, God willing. I also downloaded the “What to Expect” app and they have a 40 and pregnant community that I follow, and you should too if you have hopes of having a baby after 40 years old.
Leave me a comment and let me know if you have froze your eggs or going to freeze them.
XOXO
BGUC