Egg freezing has helped thousands of women in India take control of their fertility. Thanks to it, they are able to plan motherhood on their own terms. But recently, we’ve seen a surge in inquiries regarding egg vitrification. This revolutionary technique has transformed the success rate of egg freezing.
Yet questions like these linger in minds of many women:
– What exactly is egg vitrification?
– What precisely goes into the procedure
– How much will it take toll on your pocket?
– Are there any risks involved?
– And what does recovery look like?
In this blog, Apex Hospital will discuss everything important about egg vitrification. We will help you feel confident, informed, and fully equipped to make best decisions for your reproductive journey.
Let’s start.
What is Egg Vitrification?
An avant-garde method, vitrification is about freezing and preserving women’s eggs for future use. The term itself comes from the Latin word vitrum. It means glass which describes how eggs are cooled into a glass-like state. The traditional egg freezing method was about forming ice crystals. If not careful, one may end up damaging the egg’s structure.
This is not a problem anymore with egg vitrification technique. Eggs are paired with special cryoprotectants and cooled instantly at extremely low temperatures. Halting all biological activity. They stay in perfectly preserved state until they are later thawed and used for fertilization.
What is the Process of Egg Vitrification?
Now there are several steps involved in the process of vitrification to ensure that eggs are retrieved, frozen, and preserved safely:
Ovarian stimulation: The process starts with hormonal stimulation. Fertility medications are prescribed by doctors. These stimulate the ovaries to develop several mature eggs in a given cycle rather than a single one. This enhances the possibility of effective retrieval and retention.
Monitoring and egg maturation: During the stimulation process, doctors continuously check the growth of follicles by taking ultrasounds and blood tests. Once eggs have the appropriate size and maturity, a trigger shot is administered to them to make them ready to be picked.
Egg retrieval: This step of eggs vitrification is where they are harvested around 34-36 hours after trigger injection. How, you ask? By a minor surgical intervention referred to as transvaginal ultrasound aspiration. It is administered with the lightest form of sedation. The whole operation takes less than 30 minutes.
Assessment of eggs: After retrieval, embryologists then examine eggs under a microscope. They determine whether they are mature and fit to vitrify. Only mature eggs are selected for freezing.
Vitrification (rapid freezing): The chosen eggs are then dipped in cryoprotectants- special substances that ensure that the eggs do not get influenced by ice crystals formation. They are subsequently cooled down using liquid nitrogen to approximately -196C. Turning them into a state similar to glass in a few seconds.
Storage: The frozen eggs are then lastly stored in safe cryogenic tanks until the person decides to use them later on to fertilize them. Such eggs have a long shelf life and do not deteriorate.
Don’t forget to check out resources as well:
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How Much Does Vitrification in Egg Freezing Cost?
When it comes eggs vitrification in India, the final cost may differ based on the city, hospital, and personal medical requirements. On average, the total cost per cycle can range anywhere between 1,00,000 INR to 2,50,000 INR. This usually covers:
– Ovarian stimulation drugs
– Egg retrieval
– Vitrification process
– 1-year storage
Certain clinics might even charge you for consultation, hormone injection, and annual storage which might amount to about 15,000 INR -25,000 INR per year thereafter. Still, we recommend patients to get the package details in advance. That way, you can prevent surprises.
Apex Hospital is always transparent in terms of pricing and procedure. Our top doctors in Sirsa inform patients what is covered in their egg freezing plan.
Are There Any Risks Involved?
Vitrifying eggs is a non-invasive and very common practice. Though similar to any medical procedure, it also comes with a few potential risks and side effects. The majority of women have mild and temporary symptoms.
The hormonal injections used during the ovarian stimulation period can occasionally result in bloating, mood disorders, or slight discomfort. In some exceptional instances, women might have Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome (OHSS). In this condition, their ovaries can swell and become painful because of overreaction to fertility medication.
To avoid this risk, doctors usually pay close attention to hormone levels and follicle growth. Egg retrieval operation is a relatively safe and minor procedure, yet sometimes, it can lead to mild bleeding, cramping, or infection. All of these are rare, however, and easily treated with medication.
As far as egg storage and thawing are concerned, the actual process of vitrification presents virtually no danger to quality of eggs, thanks to contemporary methods and stringent laboratory requirements.
Long story short, are these issues life-threatening? Not at all. In fact, they are rare. Still, we suggest getting professional guidance like that offered at the Apex Hospital. This will minimize complications and make it easy for you to understand the process.
What Does Recovery Look Like?
Recovery after egg vitrification process is usually quick and smooth. Ladies can resume normal activities in a day or two after egg retrieval. Sure, there will be mild cramping, bloating, and fatigue but these symptoms will fade soon. Consider taking a rest, keeping yourself hydrated, and making light movement to speed up the recovery process.
Vitrification in Egg Freezing: Final Words
There, we told you everything about egg vitrification. We hope you now understand how this advanced technique plays a pivotal role when it comes to conserving fertility and granting women the liberty to plan motherhood on their own timeline.
If you’re from Sirsa or nearby areas, we highly recommend visiting Apex Hospital. Our fertility specialists are trained to assist and provide personalized care throughout the process. State-of-the-art facilities, transparent pricing, safe procedures – all these ensure you will receive most reliable and compassionate fertility treatment experience.
Call us on (+91) 91680-39000 or (+91) 96196-42000 to schedule an appointment today.
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