I'm 31 and I've decided I'm going to freeze my eggs.

Why?

• I know I want to have children

• I don't currently have a partner, this is plan B incase he appears once my eggs aren't performing as they should be

• Even if I did have a partner now, I don't feel I want to start a family right away

• As part of my work benefits, egg freezing is covered, so the financial burden is covered, which is very helpful

• If (hopefully) I never have to use them I will donate them to science or to be used by someone who struggles with ovulation.

What I know so far:

I've completely avoided scientific vocabulary with the intention to help people like me who are interested in freezing their own eggs.

General overview:

• As a woman, you are born with a set amount of eggs that will last your lifetime, these are held my the body in storage

• Once puberty starts you you start having a period, this is ovulation. Your body is starting to release X number of eggs from storage to your ovaries on a monthly basis

• When you are younger the body releases more eggs than when you are older. As the storage empties the body releases less eggs so that they last for longer

• As you age, the quality of your eggs also decreases, so freezing allows you to capture the current quality of your eggs, regardless of when they will be fertilised

• On a monthly basis you have several eggs in your ovaries (this really varies per woman) and your hormones work to ovulate one egg (the others "die" and one grows in size)

• Once it's reached a good size, your body releases the chosen egg from your ovary to the fallopian tube, here it wait to be fertilised (if this is success you are pregnant). If there is no fertilisation this egg also dies and this is what creates a period

• In Spain, I can store my eggs for up to 10 years, this varies per country

The Freezing Process, Part One:

• During a period of 8-14 days you have to inject yourself with hormones (injection is similar to the needles used for insulin), this is in order to allow for more eggs to be ovulation ready

• Exercise and sexual intercourse are strongly discouraged while you are administering hormones

• You will have to have several check ups during this time in order for the doctor to check your reaction to the hormones. Side effects include - bloating, emotional, cramps, tired.

• At this point the doctor will know and be able to tell you how many eggs they expect to retrieve during the operation. More eggs are better as not all eggs are guaranteed to thaw without damaging the cell

• The operation will be scheduled before your body releases the eggs from the ovaries.

The Freezing Process, Part Two:

At this stage there are many eggs ready for ovulation (again the number depends per woman) Operation time:

• I have been told that the procedure lasts around 30 minutes

• You are under general anaesthetic in order to avoid uncomfortable situations, it's been explained to me as taking a nap

• There is no incision, the operation you undergo an ultrasound-guided surgical procedure to retrieve the eggs

• Wake up and go home, I have been advised to take the day off work.

This is by no means a replacement of seeing an official doctor.
I am not a medical person, just a girl freezing her eggs and learning along the way.

I decided to share this incase it helps anyone else, through my work benefit I received a lot of support researching and educating myself on the topic, but I know a lot of people do not have this access and I personally don't feel we speak a lot about the process.

I will write a follow up once I'm further along the process and have more learnings.