Take the first step to have a baby when you’re ready with ovarian stimulation for egg freezing

Egg freezing has come a long way. More women are turning to this option to become a mother when they feel ready. If you’re interested in fertility preservation, ovarian stimulation for egg freezing is the first step. However, most women don’t know much about it until they talk to a specialist like Erika Munch MD. Our San Antonio egg freezing specialist is here to explain this step in more detail, including one common question: Do I need to give myself injections for egg freezing?

How does ovarian stimulation for egg freezing work?

The goal of this first step is to help your body safely produce as many eggs as possible. Typically, you can expect ovarian stimulation for egg freezing to take about two weeks.

During this step, you’ll give yourself injectable fertility medications at home. You’ll also visit our San Antonio egg freezing expert for monitoring appointments. Here is a closer look at what happens during this time.

You’ll start the egg freezing process with a consultation. This appointment allows Dr. Munch to review your medical history and order testing. She’ll also tell you more about egg freezing.

You’ll then have a blood test and a transvaginal ultrasound on the third day of your period. The results will provide information about your hormone levels and ovarian reserve (egg supply). Dr. Munch will use this information to design your ovarian stimulation protocol.

Before beginning ovarian stimulation, you’ll take birth control pills for two to three weeks. These pills can improve your response to the fertility medications. They can also give you greater control over scheduling your egg freezing cycle.

Finally, you’ll give yourself daily injections of fertility medications to start the ovarian stimulation. Don’t worry; our team is here to guide you through the process of injections for egg freezing, and it’s easier than you might think. Our San Antonio egg freezing specialist will assess your progress by performing ultrasounds and bloodwork every few days during this time.

When your egg-containing ovarian follicles are mature, you’ll take a “trigger shot.” About 36 hours later, you’ll have an egg retrieval. After retrieving your eggs, Dr. Munch will send them to the lab for freezing.

Who should think about egg freezing?

Now that you know how ovarian stimulation for egg freezing works, you might wonder if it’s right for you. Egg quality and quantity decline as a woman ages. As such, our San Antonio egg freezing specialist recommends freezing your eggs if the following situations apply to you.

• You want to postpone motherhood to focus on your career, education or travel.
• You’re still looking for the perfect partner to start a family with.
• You’re going to have fertility-damaging treatments like chemotherapy or radiation.
• You have a family history of premature menopause.
• You want to wait to have a baby for any other reason.

All the steps of fertility preservation, including ovarian stimulation, can help you extend your childbearing years. If you’d like to pause your biological clock, contact us to speak with Dr. Munch about egg freezing.