What’s the Best Age to Freeze Your Eggs?

If you dream of having a baby, you’re not alone. Unfortunately, nature isn’t always in sync with the timeline you have in mind for motherhood. And, a sickness or condition could get in the way before you’re able to have children. Fortunately, you can take steps to reset your biological clock by freezing your eggs for later use.

In Mountain View, California, NOVA IVF has been the Bay area’s premier fertility clinic since 1987. Our top-rated fertility experts are happy to provide the most effective and innovative treatments available for harvesting and freezing eggs.

When you freeze your eggs, you can choose to have your baby when your circumstances fit, instead of when your ticking biological clock says you must. However, there are a few important things to keep in mind with this option.

How your age impacts your fertility

It’s no secret that pregnancy is very hard on the body, so it makes the most sense to have a baby while you’re still in good overall health and relatively young. However, thanks to improved medical technology and treatment techniques, increased preventive care, and a culture that fosters good health into middle age and beyond, the age range is increasing.

While you may feel the healthiest and fittest you’ve ever been, your ovaries don’t necessarily keep up with the times. No matter how well you’ve taken care of yourself over the years, you’re still born with a limited number of eggs. As you age, those numbers decline, and so does the quality of your eggs.

For most women, fertility begins to decrease in their late 20s or early 30s and starts to fall rapidly by age 35. These changes can make it more difficult to harvest viable eggs for freezing, because fewer eggs will remain as time marches on.

As a result, even if you’re otherwise healthy and fit, your declining fertility will reduce your chances of getting pregnant to about 5% by the time you’re age 40. And having a natural pregnancy by age 45 without fertility treatments may be a miracle.

Why you might consider freezing your eggs

Aging isn’t the only reason to consider egg freezing. Several other conditions can also affect the quantity and quality of your eggs. These may include:

• Gender diversity treatments
• Sickle cell anemia
• Autoimmune disorders, such as lupus
• Chemotherapy or radiation treatment for cancer or other illnesses

When you freeze your eggs, you give yourself the option of preserving them for future use. Many women also prefer egg freezing to embryo freezing due to ethical or religious considerations.

The best time to freeze your eggs

To give yourself the highest chances of success, we typically recommend freezing your eggs in your late 20s or early 30s. However, if you’re diagnosed with an illness that may decrease the quality and quantity of your eggs, you might want to consider freezing your eggs even sooner. Your fertility specialist will work closely with you to develop a plan and offer personalized guidance based on your unique circumstances.

Regardless of your age and health, your journey at NOVA IVF will begin with a consultation to discuss your goals and expectations. Then, we’ll perform a comprehensive assessment that may include blood tests, an ultrasound, and other workups to help identify the quality and quantity of your eggs.

To learn more about egg freezing, book an appointment online or over the phone with NOVA IVF today.