The facts don’t lie: We haven’t cracked egg freezing. Not even close

Posted: Published on October 18th, 2014

This post was added by Dr P. Richardson

It has also historically been used in women undergoing fertility treatment who have a surplus of eggs collected.

Its only in recent years that women have chosen to socially freeze their eggs and put their fertility on ice.

Except, the thing is the thing that no one is saying so far, it hasn't really worked.

The statistics dont lie. According to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) the UKs independent regulator of the use of embryos:

Records show that up to December 2012 around 18,000 eggs have been stored in the UK for patients' own use. Around 580 embryos from stored eggs have been created. These embryos were transferred to women in around 160 cycles, which resulted in around 20 live births.

Twenty live births. 20 babies. Thats all.

That means theres only a 12.5 per cent chance of a woman having a baby after a cycle of frozen egg IVF.

In short, this treatment has woefully poor outcome. It ought not to be relied upon by those women who are able to conceive naturally, at a younger age.

Of course, the process of egg freezing is still developing and the new fast freeze method is likely to increase the success rate. But the data is still unreliable.

The new scheme being offered by Apple and Facebook serves to benefit just one group of women: those who are single and under 35 (when your eggs are of better quality), who arent ready for children but hope for them in the future.

Read more here:
The facts don't lie: We haven't cracked egg freezing. Not even close

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