What is Frozen Egg Thawing?
Frozen Egg Thawing (FOT) is a crucial process in fertility treatments where eggs (oocytes) are frozen for future use. The process begins with egg retrieval, where a woman's eggs are collected and preserved using cryopreservation. When the time comes to use these eggs, they are thawed and fertilized through IVF (In Vitro Fertilization).
Cryopreservation, the technique used to freeze eggs, involves cooling the eggs to extremely low temperatures to halt their biological processes. This allows eggs to be stored for months or even years without significant damage, giving women the ability to delay childbearing.
Thawing frozen eggs for use in IVF treatments has become a common and reliable method, offering women the flexibility to pursue pregnancy later in life.
The Process of Freezing and Thawing Eggs
Egg Freezing Process
The egg freezing journey begins with ovarian stimulation. To gather multiple eggs, the woman undergoes hormone injections that trigger her ovaries to mature eggs. These eggs are then retrieved via a minor surgical procedure. Once retrieved, the eggs are frozen and stored in a cryogenic tank.
Thawing the Eggs
Thawing frozen eggs is a delicate process. When ready for IVF, eggs are removed from storage and thawed carefully. They are then examined to assess their viability. The thawed eggs are fertilized using sperm, and the resulting embryos are monitored for development before being transferred into the woman's uterus.