What is Freezing of Eggs by Luna Maya


 Luna Maya performs an egg freezing procedure. This procedure still sounds foreign to some people. What is egg freezing?

The freezing of egg cells that Luna Maya does in the medical world is called frozen oocyte storage or frozen egg storage. Quoted from CNN, Thursday (20/1/2022) an obstetrician at IVF Morula Menteng, Ivan Sini, said this procedure is a technology that can help save eggs, especially in women who have certain medical indications, including cancer.



"In medicine, usually in women who are diagnosed with cancer. Chemotherapy can damage the egg cells. This (egg cell freezing) can be done, the eggs can also be used at a later date," said Ivan.


This procedure is also possible for women who want to increase their chances of having children regardless of age.


An obstetrician and lecturer at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology FKUI-RSUPN Cipto Mangunkusumo, Andon Hestiantoro, explained that the number of women's eggs continues to decline drastically with age.




Therefore, freezing eggs can save healthy eggs for future use even years later.


Andon said that not all women want to get married and have children. Andon gave an example in Japan, women tend to want to pursue a career first so they only get married at the age of 38 years and over. The number of eggs at this age has decreased dramatically.


"She wants to have offspring. That's what's difficult, especially when the number of eggs is low. Wanting to have offspring naturally is definitely difficult, even with IVF. Some modern-minded women (or have different thoughts) want to pursue careers, want to be at the top of leadership, so (considering) to keep (the eggs) first," said Andon.


The process of freezing an egg is not the same as freezing water into ice cubes like you do at home. According to Ivan, the process of freezing eggs is similar to the IVF process or IVF but without bringing them together with sperm cells.



Here women are advised to do it at a relatively young age, before 35 years, because the quality of the egg is still good.


"The process is actually like done in IVF, the program is only about 2 weeks, then after that the eggs are stored. The process is similar, only there is no sperm. That's one thing that distinguishes IVF," he said.


Broadly speaking, the egg freezing process is as follows.


1. Education and examination

Like undergoing IVF procedures, the patient will consult a doctor. Here, the patient will be given education on both the process and the potential for the resistance of the egg until it can be met with sperm. Ivan said the consideration for freezing eggs must be very mature and the patient must be able to manage expectations.



"Don't let the patient have excessive expectations. In this case we must be able to provide the right education. Okay, I saved the egg, aged 42-43 (will be fertilized by sperm), it turns out that the egg does not survive. Many people have over expectation of the process," said Ivan .


2. Sign the agreement

Ivan and Andon reminded that in certain countries it is not allowed for a person to donate eggs, sperm, embryos and uterus. Maybe you often hear Hollywood celebrities who borrow a womb (surrogate mother) to have children.


However, in this case it is prohibited as regulated in the legislation for assisted reproductive technology. Andon said this regulation is very strict and supervised by the government.


"Artists (or the public) who have the initiative to freeze egg cells must sign several things, including if you want to have children you have to get married first, you can't accept sperm donors, egg cells are used independently with a legal partner. Embryos are stored, then husband dies, embryos cannot be implanted in the wife's womb," he said.


3. Pick the egg

When all the preparations are complete, then the egg picking procedure is carried out. Eggs are not immediately frozen and stored. Only eggs that pass embryology laboratory standards will be stored. Ivan said, microscopic examination will be able to determine healthy or viable eggs.


"What we see is whether the egg cell has a good capsule, polar body, has plasma fluid (or is seen anatomically)," he added.


4. Freezing eggs

Eggs will be frozen at a temperature of around -196 degrees Celsius. To avoid damage to the egg due to low temperatures, the egg is given a substance called a cryoprotectant. How long can eggs be stored? Actually there is no time limit for egg storage. However, Andon suggested that the eggs should be thawed as soon as possible for use.


"We recommend every 2 years to use it again," he said.


For the cost, Andon did not say for sure. But he said the cost of storing frozen eggs was about the same as the cost of IVF.

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