Is younger better? When to explore egg freezing
If you’re considering delaying motherhood and preserving your fertility with egg freezing, you may be wondering how early in life you need to start. There are a few important things to know about when to explore egg freezing. Our fertility specialists do offer egg freezing in San Antonio, and we are happy to help you decide whether the time is right for you to act.
The facts about female fertility
You’ve likely heard that women have a “ticking biological clock,” and it’s true that most women do have a finite window to have a baby. That’s because even before a woman is born, the number of eggs she will have in her lifetime are already waiting in her ovaries. Starting during puberty, a woman will typically ovulate one egg a month as part of her menstrual cycle, and at the same time, the number of available, healthy eggs declines for natural reasons.
By the time a woman is in her mid-30s, the number of eggs remaining in her ovaries is normally much smaller than it was during her years of peak fertility, which are typically in a woman’s late teens and 20s. At the same time, aging has an impact on the genetic quality of the remaining eggs, making it increasingly difficult to achieve a healthy pregnancy the closer a woman gets to menopause, which typically begins in her late 40s or 50s.
So, when to explore egg freezing? Is younger always better, if you know you are interested in delaying motherhood? The answer is – usually, yes. But, not everyone’s fertility operates on the same timeline.
How we can help you determine when to explore egg freezing
Generally speaking, if you come to us to pursue fertility preservation in San Antonio while in your 20s or early 30s, there’s a great chance you’ll be able to freeze a good number of eggs for later use in IVF. However, fertility problems can happen at any age. We have seen many younger women experiencing diminished ovarian reserve much earlier than normal, as well as women in their mid to late 30s who still have a healthy egg supply. So, it’s never safe to assume that just because you are young, you have plenty of time to freeze your eggs.
That’s why our fertility specialists recommend making an appointment as soon as you begin considering when to explore egg freezing. Not only can you learn more about this wonderful option for delaying motherhood, but we can also order a series of tests that can give you good information about your remaining egg supply. Based on the results of your fertility testing, we can advise you on whether it’s best to start the egg freezing process quickly, or whether you may have the luxury of time to wait.
The sooner you get tested, the better. And the good news is, most patients who come to us interested in fertility preservation in San Antonio get their fertility testing covered by their health insurance. Contact us today, and schedule an appointment to get the answers you need about when to explore egg freezing.